To Repair With Gold
by LoreilDarksky00
Summary: Something changed time, and thus Ashka Ketchum begins a journey like nothing before; except, there wasn't a before. Was there? The Legendaries know much more than they're telling Ash, that's for certain. With Team Rocket involved and a lack of trust of humans in general, Ash must learn to stand on her own two feet. Fem!Ash, Mild Aura!User Ash, will contain elements of Time Travel.
1. Chapter 1

They were confused, the vast emptiness echoing things they could not comprehend, could not identify. They had memories, yes, but couldn't pin down what they were, only bits and pieces of information that were too disjointed to make sense of.

" _－_ _cannot waste any more time, we have to reset it."_

" _Are you certain this is the only choice we have? If the Chosen's soul is damaged…"_

" _It won't be. The nature of the bond will only spin the two into a greater soul. There will be no conflict; the two will be seamlessly made into one."_

" _And that will break the curse, my lord?"_

" _It will. Things will happen much the same, this time, but our reborn Chosen will not fail_ _－_ _no, he never failed us… we failed him, and thus he fell. Like kintsugi… you will be the greatest star of hope and light of life… with this wandering soul, we repair your broken self with spiritual gold. Go forth, into the world, as the Chosen One we love so._

" _Open your eyes, Ashka, to a time rewound so that you may save the world you so loved… the world you loved as both Ash… and Ma_ _－_ _."_

XxXxX

Ashka Rinne Ketchum, known simply as Ash, had always known that she was different. Her body felt foreign yet familiar, as did everything else in her life. Sometimes she wasn't sure if she was in the right body, but something deep inside of her knew that there had been a change she could not undo, and so she tried not to dwell on it.

All that really mattered was that Ash had her mother, Delia, and the Oak family, who treated the two as their own. Samuel, Daisy, and Gary were part of Ash's family, as far as the girl was concerned. Even when Gary was being annoying. At least they didn't make fun of her for being 'weird' or 'stupid'. Ash wasn't stupid, she knew that. She just… didn't really speak up in class. She was wary of her own voice, because sometimes it said things she wasn't meaning to. Sometimes she said things without knowing where they came from.

She knew things that she shouldn't, never knowing how.

But it was because of that weird ability that she had gotten her first two partners. It was also how she knew to prepare for the chaos her life would become.

XxXxX

"Alright, alright, you two," Professor Oak chuckled, motioning for them to cease their bickering over who knew the most about Pokemon. "I'll give you a trivia question. What types are Dragon type Pokemon weak against?"

Ash's answer was immediate, rattled off as if by instinct.

"Ice, Dragon, Fairy."

"Fairy? That's not a type, stupid," Gary scoffed. "Stop making stuff up."

"But is it," she said, clearly puzzled herself by the words that just kept coming. "Cleffa, Clefairy, Clefable, Togepi, Togetic, Togekiss, Snubbull, Granbull, Flabébé, Floette, Florges, Spritzee, Aromatisse, Swirlix, Slurpuff, and Sylveon are all pure Fairy types.

Samuel Oak's eyes widened as Ash rattled off a list rare, just barely discovered, and foreign Pokemon that she had no way of knowing about. And one… he'd never even heard of it.

"Where did you learn about those Pokemon?" He asked, crouching down to better meet her gaze.

"I…" Ash blinked, startled. "I don't know? They… I know them, but… how…?"

Concerned, but also intrigued, the professor asked, "What is a Sylveon?"

"The Fairy type evolution of Eevee," she replied instantly. "The eighth possible Eeveelution."

"But there's only three!" Gary protested, only silenced by his grandfather's gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. The man wanted to know the extent of Ash's apparent knowledge.

"What are the eight Eeveelutions?"

"Jolteon, Flareon, Vaporeon, Espeon, Umbreon, Glaceon, Leafeon, and Sylveon."

"What are their typings and how do they evolve?"

"Jolteon, Electric type, through a Thunder Stone. Flareon, Fire, Fire Stone. Vaporeon, Water, Water Stone. Espeon, Psychic type, high friendship during the daytime or when in close contact with a Sun Shard. Umbreon, Dark type, high friendship during nighttime or when in close contact with a Moon Shard. Glaceon, Ice type, can only evolve in proximity to an Ice Rock. Ice Rocks can be found in Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola. Leafeon, Grass type, can only evolve in proximity to a Moss Rock. Moss Rocks can only be found in Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola. Sylveon, high affection while knowing a Fairy type move; most common is Baby-Doll Eyes," Ash seemed to recite, eyes distant as the information was pulled _through_ her mind rather than from it. Once finished, she gasped, clutching her head, and Samuel reached out to steady her.

"Easy," he soothed. "Now, that was quite the little lecture! I haven't heard of most of that information, but I would like to see just how accurate it is… I have an idea. Ash, Gary, how would you two like to help me test out what Ash just told us?"

Gary's eyes flashed with eagerness. "I want to do it! A Dark type Eeveelution sounds awesome!"

Ash nodded slowly, recovering from the strange episode she'd just had. "I… want to make sure I'm right. S-Sometimes I… know things that I've never learned about, but… maybe it's not just my brain making stuff up…"

Samuel ruffled her short hair fondly, smiling when she relaxed. He could see that she struggled with whatever this source of information was, and if discovering some new Pokemon while simultaneously reassuring the little girl that she wasn't crazy was what ended up happening… well, that sounded perfectly alright to him.

Now, he had some colleagues to enlist in this experiment… perhaps his cousin Samson would be able to supply eight Eevees, his last email had implied they were abundant in Alola.

XxXxX

Ash shivered in her silver-blue coat as she clung to the trainer leading her and Gary behind Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, and Indigo Elite Four Lorelei. The two children had been invited to accompany Samuel to Sinnoh, whose regional professor had confirmed the location of the Ice Rock. This was the first test of Ash's strange knowledge, as Lorelei had recently obtained an Eevee and had been excited when Professor Oak had mentioned the possibility of an Ice type evolution for it. They were currently trudging through the snow of Route 217.

"We're almost there," the trainer holding Ash's hand said kindly. Ash smiled in response. She liked this trainer, Lucas, since he had been patient with all her questions. Normally everyone except the Oak family would get annoyed with her after a few minutes, but Lucas just seemed happy she wanted to learn more about the Pokemon in Sinnoh. He was Professor Rowan's assistant, so he was carrying the video camera and other equipment they'd set up before Lorelei released her Eevee.

"Well, here it is," Rowan announced, causing the group to stop near a large formation of blue-violet ice shards. Ash stared at it in wonder, releasing Lucas' hand in favor of stepping closer to Gary, who was practically vibrating with his impatience. She felt drawn to the rock, as if it was radiating energy…

"I hope it works," she said anxiously, shifting her weight while the scientists set up their equipment.

"As do I," Lorelei said with a smile, causing both children to look at her in awe. She was a member of the Elite Four, so of course they idolized her. "Ash, right? Professor Oak has been very optimistic about this. You were the one who told him about it, correct? Have you psychic abilities?"

Ash shrugged helplessly. "I don't _think_ so, but I don't know."

"It would make sense," Gary frowned. He hadn't been happy that his grandfather had been so willing to go along with Ash's ideas at first, not after the initial shock of the potential had worn off, but now he was too excited to care. "At least, it's the only reason we can think of for her to know all this stuff."

"Perhaps Sabrina could clear that up," the Ice Master mused, before stepping up to the Ice Rock as both professors called out that everything was prepared. The woman seemed a little tense, but tossed a Pokeball out, releasing a small, brown, fox-like Pokemon Ash knew was an Eevee.

The Eevee immediately let out a crooning sound, approaching the Ice Rock as if hypnotized. It shuddered as it got closer, and reached out with its paw to touch it. As soon as it made contact, Eevee began to glow with a brilliant white-blue light, energy swirling around it as its silhouette changed shape. Eevee grew larger, twice the size of its original form, tail growing longer and body slimming.

As quickly as it started, the light faded, revealing a pale blue Pokemon with teal markings, a long, flat tail that ended in a point, and tufts of darker blue fur on its forehead with two long segments framing its face. Dark teal eyes opened, and the Pokemon trilled with joy as it breathed a cloud of frost into the air. It then ran back to its trainer, who caught it easily when it jumped.

"Incredible!" Lorelei's voice was filled with awe as she inspected her newly evolved Pokemon. "A Glaceon…"

Ash grinned widely, the knot in her chest loosening into nothing. She wasn't crazy, she'd been right!

She'd been _right_.

XxXxX

Ash and Gary weren't able to go along to see the first known evolution of Leafeon, but they weren't all that disappointed, because Professor Oak had given them some very important jobs; to raise two Eevee, one female and one male each, aiming to evolve them into Espeon, Umbreon, or Sylveon. Since Gary wanted to be the first person to have an Umbreon, he took the Moon Shard his grandfather had managed to procure, putting it on a necklace for his male Eevee.

Ash was fine with that; she really wanted an Espeon and Sylveon, so she took the Sun Shard and the professor helped her use a TM for Baby-Doll Eyes on her female Eevee (who she nicknamed Titania, to match her male Eevee Oberon). That meant that Gary could evolve his female Eevee (nicknamed Vera since simply calling both 'Eevee' would get confusing and he wasn't one for unnecessary nicknames) into any of the others, which he was happy about.

They were seven years old and had some of the rarest Pokemon in Kanto. Because of that, a lot of the other children were jealous. Soon the only friends Ash and Gary had were each other and their Eevee, but neither minded; they were doing something important, that would be part of the new wave of discoveries that had been set in motion by Ash's inexplicable knowledge.

But Ash wasn't even focused on that.

"Is that better, Oberon?" She asked after she adjusted the royal purple collar around his neck. The Sun Shard had been turned into a pendant for it, since he'd been the one to agree to try to evolve into an Espeon.

Oberon nodded with glee, shimmying his shoulders playfully before he jumped off her lap and onto the floor, where he flopped onto his back and promptly went to sleep. Rolling her eyes, she reached down to pick up Titania, stroking the Eevee's silky fur. Titania stared down her nose at the other Eevee, exasperated. She was the mature one of the two, and run ragged trying to keep her partner in line.

"I hope evolving into a Psychic type will help him grow up a little," Ash murmured, grinning when Titania only snorted. "Okay, that might be just a fantasy, but we can hope, right?"

Titania turned away from the other Eevee and nuzzled Ash's stomach, purring when the girl picked up a brush from the nearby desk and began grooming her. She was every bit the Queen she was named after, which gave her future trainer no end of struggles, but Ash wouldn't change it for the world.

XxXxX

"You… want to travel alone?"

"Well, yeah, we're rivals, we can't just give each other all our secrets by going together! Besides, we literally haven't been apart for more than a night so far. We gotta grow up sometime."

"... Right…"

XxXxX

Oberon and Eevee's evolution was sudden and simultaneous.

Ash and Gary had let their Eevee play together while they did their homework in the professor's lab, and just after the two had finished biting each other in some petty squabble, they both began to glow. It was so bright the two children were nearly blinded, but once it ended and they'd blinked the starts from their eyes, their twin screams of delight brought Samuel running.

The professor was more than happy to check them over, documenting every little thing he could, while Ash and Gary fawned over their newly-evolved Pokemon. Umbreon's sleek body was covered in midnight-black velvety fur, accented by yellow rings that _glowed._ Oberon's violet fur was short and silky, body slender and every movement refined; the red gem on his forehead glowed when he used his psychic power, forked tail flicking as he adjusted to his new body as an Espeon.

Now there was only one Eeveelution left to go.

XxXxX

Titania evolved the night of Ash's eighth birthday.

The girl had spent the whole day and evening celebrating with her family, her Eevee on her lap or in her arms the whole time. Despite how aloof she was, Titania was a cuddler when it came to Ash, who would never deny her precious Pokemon attention.

They were in the Oak's living room, everyone relaxing, when Titania nuzzled Ash's palm. She immediately went for the Eevee's favorite scratching spot beneath her chin, smiling down at the small Pokemon, and Titania purred in bliss. And then her body erupted into bright light, her weight on Ash's lap growing a little heavier as she evolved.

When the light dissipated, a dainty cream and pink Pokemon with ribbon and bow-like accents and beautiful blue eyes cooed up at her. Ash gasped, speechless just like everyone else in the room, at Titania's new form. There was something almost magical about her, a presence that was otherworldly in a different manner than that of Ghost and Dark type Pokemon.

Thanks to Titania, Professor Oak was able to confirm the Fairy type, throwing the world of Pokemon into a frenzy once more.

* * *

 **New story idea that I've been working on for a while, updates will probably be random but more reliable than the other stories I have posted on here. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Ash was nine when Gary stopped wanting to hang out with her. They were _rivals_ , he insisted, and shouldn't keep giving each other the advantage. She had no idea what he was talking about, because why couldn't they still be friends too? _What advantages_? But Gary wouldn't hear a word she said, and so now Ash was left alone.

Well, not _alone_ , but now she only had Pokemon friends, no human ones. She sort of had Serena, her pen pal she met back when she was six and at the professor's summer camp, but letters took a long time to go to and come from Kalos. And Serena wasn't like her _best_ friend, who she could sneak out to go play with in the Corral. Except Gary didn't want to do that anymore because they were _rivals_.

Humans were stupid, Ash decided. That's all there was to it.

So she was content to spend her time with Titania and Oberon, practicing their moves and playing with all the Pokemon trainers left to be cared for at Oak's ranch. Ash stopped bothering to speak to any humans unless spoken to, because it wasn't worth risking losing another friend, so why waste the energy? Besides, Pokemon were more interesting. The only exceptions were Delia, Samuel and Daisy Oak, and the letters from Serena.

Becoming a Pokemon trainer became Ash's passion. She loved Pokemon, loved the thrill of directing them in battle, loved seeing them grow in power and skill. And even though she hated studying, she was thorough in educating herself about every aspect of Pokemon she could, from their dietary needs to how to train the different species.

She researched foreign practices on the computer in the library, copied and experimented with recipes for specialized Pokemon food, Poke Puffs, Poffins and Pokeblocks (that her Pokemon were more than happy to test for her, although she always felt the strange need to bake them in secret, and begged Professor Oak not to tell her mother that she'd asked to use his Berry Blender), and took lengthy notes on strategies and tactics used in any official League battle recordings she could get her hands on.

Sometimes she saw Gary out in the fields of the Corral, training his Umbreon and Eevee through spars. He didn't do much else for them.

There was a part of her that wanted to glare and snap at him that he should be focusing on more than just mock battles, that he didn't have to be an ass to be her rival, that he wouldn't even be able to keep up with her if he kept on like this. That part felt older and bitter, impatient like she'd been through the whole growing up thing before and was _over_ it, but she ignored it like she did so many of the words that danced on the tip of her tongue without her permission. She was Ash Ketchum, nothing more, nothing less. She didn't need to think about spotty half-memories from a life she most certainly had not lived.

XxXxX

Delia was a strong woman and capable mother. Ash knew this, admired her for all she did to provide for her only child, and was very much aware of the sacrifices Delia had made for her throughout her life. She loved her mother. She loved her mother's warmth, the way she hummed when she cooked, how she was extremely smart and resourceful. Ash thought that it was amazing how many things Delia knew how to do, from housework to finances to science to caring for Pokemon.

Delia was brilliant, but Ash suspected that sometimes she forgot that Ash was more active than her mother ever was. Delia often commented on how smart Ash was, that Ash would make a good researcher, or breeder. She mentioned that Professor Oak could use some more assistants, and the words were repeated with increasing frequency the closer Ash's tenth birthday came.

Ash's dream was to be a Pokemon Master. She wanted to know the ins and outs of every Pokemon, be able to work with all of them, to befriend as many as she could and become strong. Champion strong. She wanted to build a close-knit team that she could fight seamlessly with.

There was a lot of passion and a dark sense of foreboding ( _she'd need as much strength as she can get, for what was coming_ _－_ _she didn't know what was coming, not really. She did, sometimes, but the words stuck on her tongue because she couldn't say them. She wouldn't. But it was coming, and every cell in her body screamed that she had to be ready)_ involved in her dream, but it was her dream. And to achieve it, she had to leave Pallet and go on a journey.

Delia knew that.

She knew that Ash had made plans and backup plans and drawn up training schedules, that Ash had meticulously accounted for a staggering number of variables in her upcoming travels. She had a list of the sort of Pokemon she'd be on the lookout for, what Gyms she would challenge and in what order, and dozens of notebooks detailing what strategies she would use depending on what Pokemon would be on her potential team.

So the day before Ash would be going to the lab to pick her official starter, just six months after her tenth birthday, she was not expecting Delia to stare darkly at the already-packed backpack by the door and frown.

"Ash, why is your bag there?"

"So I don't forget it tomorrow," the girl replied, eyebrows furrowed. Her mother knew she liked to be prepared the night before at least, because she was always slow to wake up and start functioning. But maybe Delia was right, it was probably in the way. "Sorry, I'll hang it on the coat rack so it's not underfoot."

"... You aren't seriously leaving tomorrow, are you Ashy?" Delia asked, suddenly teary-eyed. "You're still so young, why don't you wait a few years, get your schooling out of the way? I'm sure there's more Samuel would be happy to teach you, you could even work at the Corral with all the Pokemon."

Oberon's slim form pressed up against Ash's shin, but he was tense. Ash felt some of the warmth in her body drain away, but stayed calm. Something in her knew where this was going, but she ignored it in favor of focusing on her mother's eyes. They were frighteningly intense, a little desperate, a little panicked.

"Almost all kids leave on their journeys at ten, Mom. And I'm more prepared than most, so there's no need to worry, I've been ready for months. I'll have Oberon and Titania to keep me safe," Ash reassured, but wavered as Delia's eyes flashed, narrowed in sudden decision.

"No, you'll be staying here," the woman said sternly, "and you can study to be a researcher. You will _not_ be going on a journey, young lady, not tomorrow, not ever!"

Ash was floored. This was the first time that her mother had voiced a protest about Ash's journey, and the expression on her face… Delia's lips were pressed into a thin line, her amber eyes narrowed and filled with conflicting emotions, jaw tense and loose hairs shaking－Delia was trembling.

 _Why?_

"I don't want to be a researcher, Mom," Ash began, but her mother shook her head.

"Then you can study Pokemon breeding, or evolution, or－"

"I want to be a Pokemon Master!" Ash burst out, and the house was quiet. She hadn't even noticed they both had been almost yelling until just now, when Delia's breaths came heavy and shaky. The silence was unnerving.

Ash's face felt tingly and numb, entire body cold. She didn't understand why this was happening. What was wrong with a journey? Was it because she was a girl? No, Daisy did it, and Delia had been so proud… so what was it?

"You know what," Delia started, but she faltered and had to start again, angry and frustrated and loud with her trembling voice that cracked as it rose farther. "You know what, you're like your father. If you're _that_ serious about leaving, you can be just like him and _stay_ gone too!"

Just like that, Ash felt her words vanish. There was nothing she could say to that, nothing that would ease the overwhelming hurt from what had just been said. When the emotions exploded in her head and heart, she cut their strings and let the tangled mess drop down deep, deep where she could no longer feel them. Ash turned, picked up her bag, and snapped her fingers twice; it was a signal for her Pokemon to follow, something she'd had in place since they were little curious Eevee who liked to run off.

Titania glowered at Delia as she slunk past the frozen woman with stiff ribbons, who had yet to make a single movement after her words had fallen into the silence. Ash snapped once more, a sudden urgency overtaking her as she slid on her new sneakers and shouldered her backpack.

She left without a word.

Flanked by her concerned Pokemon, Ash barely even registered that she walked all the way to the woods just to the side of the Corral, and numbly set up camp. Motion by motion, she prepared herself for bed, as it was already sundown－ _how much time had passed since…_ －and there was nothing more to be done.

"Syl?" Titania crooned at her, once she'd gotten into her sleeping bag inside her tent.

"Everything's fine, sweetie," Ash whispered, also reaching out to stroke Oberon's spine in reassurance. "This is a good practice run for when we're out on the road, isn't it? Let's get some rest, we should start early tomorrow, I don't want to deal with Gary."

After that day, Ash would never bring up the brief but world-shattering argument with her mother. It would be a very long time until someone really put the pieces together, as to why Ash never talked about her parents.

XxXxX

"Thanks for letting me use the shower, Daisy," Ash sighed, toweling off her damp hair before shoving it beneath her hat. She'd had it cropped short for several years; the way it spiked up to the sides felt natural, not weird like when she had it long. "Don't tell Gary I left before him, please? He's been weird about stuff like that ever since he decided we were rivals."

Daisy Oak nodded, though she was frowning, viridian irises filled with concern. To the younger girl's relief, she didn't ask about why Ash had climbed through her window at six in the morning with leaves in her hair and bags under her eyes. She'd just pointed to the bathroom and tossed her a towel.

"Alright, if you're sure… have you eaten yet?"

A loud gurgling answered her, and Daisy laughed while Ash blushed. It didn't take long for the older girl to whip up some breakfast, leaving plates covered on the table for the Professor and Gary. Daisy then tucked a map into Ash's bag, leaning down to pet an oddly quiet Oberon and even more serious than normal Titania for a moment before straightening and catching Ash's gaze.

"You know you can call or email me whenever," Daisy said firmly, lifting Ash's cap to ruffle her short hair. "You're my little sister too, Ashka, so don't just up and vanish on me, okay? I want regular check ins! Every time you get to a city and before you leave it, am I understood?"

Unable to speak through the lump in her throat, Ash nodded. Daisy smiled softly and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.

"Good luck, squirt. Grandpa's in his study, you can just go in. I'm sure you've been waiting to get those Pokeballs."

Ash had, actually. While her two partners belonged to her, she wasn't allowed to hold onto their Pokeballs until she'd gotten her trainer's license, which had already been programmed into her PokeDex. Today she'd finally be able to put Titania and Oberon's Pokeballs on her belt where they belonged.

She gave Daisy a tight hug before she went up the stairs, grateful for the girl's kindness. She'd miss Daisy while she was out on the road. Before she opened the door to Samuel's study, she took a moment to appreciate the house she'd spent half her time growing up in. There was the dent in the wall from the time she and Gary had accidentally let a Machop into the house and said the word 'headbutt'; the professor had nearly torn some of his hair out. There was the patched hole in the ceiling because Gary wanted Umbreon to test out Shadow Ball on a pillow and neglected to remember that Umbreon had been struggling with his aim. Even the study door had scratches on it from several incidents where four little Eevee had been play fighting and used it as a springboard to dodge.

It was oddly comforting to know that her existence could be proven. She wouldn't be forgotten so easily, at least.

"Professor?" She called softly as she finally opened the door.

"Ash…? You're quite early, even by your standards," the man commented with a raised eyebrow. He was sitting at his desk, a small pile of paperwork on the wood that likely meant he'd been up all night working on something again.

 _There's no particular reason for it_ , she told herself. She was early today and that was the end of that.

"If Gary's so insistent on being my rival," she said with an impressive amount of control, considering she wanted to just burst into tears and throw herself at the man who was basically her adoptive father and grandfather all in one, "he's gonna have to work harder than he is now. I won't make it that easy for him."

Apparently it wasn't enough control, because Samuel's eyes softened and he set aside his papers to motion her closer. When she was within reach, he pulled her into a tight embrace. This was the man who had taken one look at her as a child, when she'd still been wary of life after her father had walked out the door to go to work and never came back, when she'd lost trust in everyone, and said, "Oh, there's my other granddaughter!"

"I won't ask right now," he told her quietly. "Just know that I'm here for you."

If she wasted an hour crying against his lab coat, no one else had to know.

Once she'd gotten herself under control and washed her face, and been handed her partners' Pokeballs, she trailed him to the reception area of the lab, where three Pokeballs were set on a table across from the doorway. Ash paused, knowing that there were four trainers who were meant to head out today. Did he forget? It wouldn't be that unusual...

"Ne, aren't you missing a Pokeball?"

Samuel blinked, than let out a groan. "I knew I was forgetting something… I don't have any spare starters, so the last will have to pick a substitute… Well, I do have that one I just caught, but it's not tame yet…"

Holding back a smile at the man's muttering, Ash glanced at the three Pokeballs on the table, but found herself curious about the Pokemon the professor was considering as a substitute. She was supposed to meet it, she knew. It was important.

"What kind of Pokemon is it? Can I see it?"

"Well, there's no harm in it," Samuel relented easily, shuffling equipment aside to pick up a Pokeball with a lightning bolt sticker on its front. Smiling at her curiousity, he released its inhabitant.

The Pikachu scowled fiercely, glaring daggers at its Pokeball, and Ash got the feeling that it would never go back in it if it had anything to say about it. She took in the scruffy fur and dirt still clinging to it; it had seen better days, but some good food and a little grooming would take care of that easily. There was a stubborn set to its muzzle, eyes that sparked with irritation but also mischief. She knew those eyes, knew them better than she did her own, and she didn't bother to question it. Instead, she simply let the powerful wave of _deja vu_ sweep over her.

"Can I take Pikachu?" She heard herself say, slowly crouching down in front of him. The rodent's scowl seemed to lessen as he looked her over, eyeing the two Pokemon that were not in Pokeballs by her side, and after a moment of silence Pikachu cocked his head to the side.

"Pika pi?"

"Es, espe eon," Oberon nodded, eyes bright and eager. The Psychic type padded forwards to greet Pikachu, his gem and eyes flashing with psychic energy as the two held wordless conversation. A minute later Oberon stepped back, and Pikachu looked up at Ash with less suspicion.

Samuel raised his eyebrows, and asked, "Are you sure? You've always wanted a Charmander, and you _are_ the first to arrive."

"One hundred percent sure," she replied, gaze never leaving Pikachu's. "I choose Pikachu."

The statement seemed to be enough for the little Electric type, who seemed to nod to himself before jumping onto Ash's shoulder. His weight settled there easily, and suddenly a piece that Ash had never realized was missing snapped into place. Pikachu was meant to be right there with her, forever, her partner and friend.

Ash beamed, accepting Pikachu's Pokeball and securing it on her belt beside Oberon and Titania's. The professor just chuckled, amused but no stranger to Ash's undecipherable thought process, before handing her Oberon and Titania's Pokeballs, a PokeDex and five empty Pokeballs.

"You know what to do with these, I'm sure," he smiled.

Ash nodded, resettling her pack after putting everything away, three Pokeballs on her belt and a spare in each pocket. "Thanks a bunch, Professor. I'll let you know when I reach Viridian."

"Please do, and be careful! There's been sightings of a Fearow on Route 1… And Ash?"

"Hm?"

"I'm proud of you."

Ash and her team set off just twenty minutes later, after cleaning Pikachu up, still early enough that most of Pallet Town was either still asleep or not yet ready to start their day. She never realized that Gary had been awake and listening, had heard her crying and easily concluded from the looks on Daisy and his grandfather's face that something had gone very wrong either that morning or the night before. She never found out that Gary stomped over to her house to demand answers, only for Delia to coldly (tearfully) deny ever having a child－ _one can only take so much,_ the woman thought distantly, _before they have to let go for good or risk permanent damage_ －and send the stunned boy on his way.

Ash never found out a lot of things, but what she did was only learned much later, when she'd already lost hope of ever having a home in Pallet Town again.


	3. Chapter 3

Titania glanced pleadingly at Ash as Misty screamed yet again for what must have been the eighth time in as many minutes. Taking pity on her friends, Ash returned her and Oberon, and silently hoped Pikachu would rethink his opinion on Pokeballs if only for the sake of his ears. The little Electric type was nothing if not stubborn, though, and resorted to holding his ears down as he crouched low on Ash's shoulder.

Misty was… Ash didn't want to be mean, but Misty was annoying. And yeah, okay, some attitude was expected after Ash accidentally ruined the other girl's bike trying to get to the Pokemon Center, but this was far beyond what was tolerable. The redhead screamed at every noise and was cruel to even the friendly little Caterpie that tried to say hello.

 _At least now Pikachu and I are friends, and I have those pictures of Ho-oh,_ Ash consoled herself. After the Spearow attack that resulted in Pikachu defending her, the beautiful Legendary had flown above them. Orange plumage blended seamlessly into white, gold, and green, a tail of gold trailing behind Ho-oh as it soared. Light glinted of its golden crest and silver claws, and Ash was stunned by the sheer beauty of the sight. Somehow, through her awe, she'd managed to swing up her PokeDex and snap a handful of pictures of the bird she recognized from the mythology books she'd collected before she received her first two partners.

Not only that, but a single, shimmering feather had drifted down into her reach, and she'd eagerly snatched it out of the air. It's pearly surface seemed to generate it's own light, and the feather was the softest thing she'd ever touched. The tip was a shade of green that reminded her of everything spring, fading into pure white and then yellow-gold at its base. She'd felt a wave of peace and vigor as soon as it touched her skin, and as if in a trance she'd tucked it beneath her shirt, above her heart.

The feather stuck to her without any assistance, and later, in the privacy of the room she'd rented at the Pokemon Center, she'd tested its hold. The feather would not come off unless she herself pulled it away from her chest. Not even her Pokemon could move it.

Absently brushing her fingers over her shirt where it was covered, Ash forced herself to relax. She just had to keep training her team and battle enough to earn the money to replace Misty's bike. Then she'd be free. Of course, that didn't stop her from wanting to ditch the aspiring Water type Master. Misty had been whining and screaming ever since they set foot in Viridian Forest, and Ash wasn't a people person to begin with.

Fortunately, this would be their last day in the forest. After two weeks of chaos, they were at it's outer edge and just a few hours out from Pewter City, and Ash couldn't wait to take a real shower. Her Pokemon needed some thorough grooming and baths, too…

"... You don't really talk much, do you?" Misty mused, catching Ash's attention now that the other girl had finally calmed down.

"I don't have much to say," Ash shrugged. There wasn't much point in making small talk with humans. The Oaks were really the exception to that rule, but they were the only ones aside from Serena, and as far as the young trainer was concerned, they would stay the only ones. Relationships with humans were too risky.

Misty frowned at her, although more out of thought than response, and left the younger girl alone－sort of. She still followed her, and while she seemed uncomfortable with the silence, Ash felt nothing but relief.

Pikachu sent a baleful glower Misty's way when the redhead wasn't looking, sitting up to rest his paws on the top of Ash's hat. He'd taken to perching there rather than walking along beside his trainer, although Ash didn't mind. He'd been showing amazing progress whenever she set her team to training; he was _so_ close to mastering Agility, and he already had a good grasp on Iron Tail. He just needed to perfect it, and then she could start him on Thunderbolt and then Electro Ball. She had a plan for him to become an unstoppable force by the time she entered the League Conference, and it was highly dependant on him learning absolute control over his electricity, combined with a move she'd discovered on a Unova-centered online forum called 'Magnet Rise'. She couldn't wait for him to reach that level.

Her two Eeveelutions were also improving rapidly. Oberon, despite his habit of causing mischief and mayhem for his personal entertainment, had mastered all the moves he knew (Quick Attack, Swift, and Confusion), so she was currently working with him on both Psychic and Teleport. She was planning on having the Espeon work on Protect once he mastered the new moves, and she was excited since it looked like that would be soon. She was considering Shadow Ball, Toxic, Hypnosis and Dream Eater for him after that. He had a lot of power to work with and while his control wasn't where it needed to be yet, he was a heavy hitter and he was _fast_.

And Titania… Ash was awed by her regal Fairy type, who took to mastering her move set like a Pidgey to the air. Already she knew Quick Attack, Swift, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Moonblast, and Disarming Voice, and only the last two still needed a little more work. The Sylveon's precision with her abilities was unparalleled by her other two teammates, and Ash already planned on having her learn Protect, Draining Kiss, Facade, Hidden Power, and Shadow Ball to give Titania the incredible flexibility she was already showing aptitude for. Thanks to Professor Oak's research on Fairy Types, Ash knew Titania was capable of learning a vast number of moves, and despite most of them being Fairy type the sheer number of them would hopefully grant Titania the firepower she needed.

Ash was proud of her three Pokemon; while she knew Gary would probably have caught far more than that already, the small number had allowed her to focus on building up her team's strengths and tearing apart their weaknesses to the degree that any other new trainer would never be able to keep up with.

She was still on the lookout for a Pokemon she would want to add to her team, though. Ash was very much alert as they trekked towards Pewter, sharp eyes finding movements in the trees and behind bushes. None of the Bug types had stood out to her in the forest, and the only Pidgey she had seen had been too small and young for her to feel comfortable trying to catch it.

"Swa!" A sharp trill caused her to whirl, sienna eyes locking onto a small Pokemon a few dozen yards off to the side. It was flying in circles, trying to shake off what looked like a large Scyther.

"Be back in a minute," was all the warning she gave Misty before she was darting off the path and into the trees. The silhouette of the Pokemon wasn't very familiar, and the potential rarity made her heart race. "We're gonna catch whatever that is. Pikachu, I'll be counting on you for this one."

"Pika," her starter nodded, cheeks sparking in anticipation.

Ash grinned, and kept her eyes on the prize. While she wouldn't mind grabbing the Scyther too, her main goal was the blue and white bird Pokemon that was now just a few yards away. It's round body and cloud-shaped wings made for a goofy looking appearance, but Ash wasn't fooled. Now that she could see it clearly, she knew it; she'd studied foreign Pokemon enough to recognize the Swablu for what it was. Swablu were dual Normal/Flying type, but their evolution gained them the Dragon typing, and Ash would rather eat her own shoes than willingly let the chance to have a rare dragon slip between her fingers! She wasn't sure why it was in Kanto, but it's ragged appearance was evidence it was wild, or perhaps released. And there _had_ been several storms that that passed through multiple regions in the last year or so, the high wind speed would have been enough to drag an unsuspecting Flying type into them and carry it quite a ways.

"Quick Attack into Thundershock on the Scyther! Make sure Swablu doesn't fly away, cage it in with weaker Thundershocks," She instructed, still awed by the way her starter seemed to _vanish_ from her shoulder, aided by a sustained Agility on his own decision.

The Scyther was fast, but Pikachu was faster.

A flash of yellow light was swiftly followed by the smell of ozone and a hissing screech from the massive bug. Scyther fell to the ground, twitching, and was no match for the next three Thundershocks that Pikachu sent its way in between keeping Swablu close to the forest floor.

Ash was quick to realize that Scyther had to be dealt with first, so she primed a Pokeball and tossed it right after another shock of electricity was slammed into its green body. Luckily, Scyther was still reeling from being electrocuted, and too frazzled to fight it. Now able to focus on her real goal, she studied the Swablu's slowing flight pattern. Pikachu's continued attacks were wearing it down quickly.

"Use the trees and hit it with Quick Attack!" She called out.

Pikachu cackled with almost manic glee as he ricocheted off the surrounding tree trunks to slam into the small Flying type, who protested the blow with an indignant squawk. But it seemed like it had had enough, dropping to the earth and panting hard. The two little plumes of feathers on its head trembled as it sank to the ground in exhaustion. Ash primed a second Pokeball and threw it without delay, bouncing on her feet happily when it clicked instantly.

"Great work, Pikachu! That was incredible!" She crowed, scooping up both Pokeballs and clipping them to her belt. She'd get them to Pewter first and have them healed up before meeting them properly. Giggling as Pikachu blurred back onto her shoulder and nuzzled her face, she scratched his long ears and lavished him with well-earned praises. He'd just taken on two Pokemon without letting either so much as graze him, which was no small feat, and wasn't even winded!

Proud of him, she decided he'd earned a treat when they got to Pewter. Travel back at the forefront of her mind, Ash jogged back to the path, unable to stop smiling as she fell back into step with a baffled-looking Misty.

"What the heck was that about?" Misty demanded, aqua eyes wide.

"I caught two new Pokemon," Ash beamed, reaching up again to rub the short bridge of Pikachu's muzzle. "Pikachu got them both down in record time, they didn't stand a chance."

Misty looked impressed, despite her irritation at the younger girl running off. "That's not something you see every day. What Pokemon? I thought I saw a Flying type but it was too far away for me to see what it was, and the other was too fast for me to get a good look."

"A Scyther and a Swablu," Ash crooned as she tapped the Pokeballs, still riding the high of finding and catching two rare Pokemon. "I don't know how a Swablu found its way to Kanto of all places, but I'm so happy! I've been wanting a Dragon type ever since I saw Lance's Conference battles!"

Ah, yes, the new Champion of Indigo, Dragon Master Lance Blackthorn. He was just a few years older than Ash and he was already so powerful! Not only that, but dragons were some of the rarest of Pokemon aside from Fairy types and Legendaries, and that wasn't even getting into how hard most were to train. Swablu were some of the easiest Dragon types to train because they gained the typing _after_ evolution, which gave them remarkably gentle and calm natures. The only dragons easier to handle were from the Goodra line, although they required much more patience since they started off as the weakest Dragon types.

Lance was one of the most skilled trainers in the world, having raised three powerful Dragonite on top of the most terrifyingly strong Charizard she'd ever seen. And he even had an Aerodactyl, a Fossil Pokemon! And his _Gyarados…_ And those were just the Pokemon on his League registered team, he had a Garchomp, a Salamence, and a Goodra too. Ash was a fan of his skill, and admired how hard the Dragon Master had clearly worked to earn his title.

"What's a Swablu?" Misty asked, and Ash found herself appreciating the redhead's eagerness to learn about Pokemon. Maybe some humans had their good points. "I figured it's a foreign Pokemon, but what region is it from?"

"They're normally found in Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos," Ash recalled, making a mental note to research her newest teammate once they got to the Pokemon Center. "And as Swablu they're dual Normal/Flying types, but when they evolve into Altaria their Normal typing gets replaced with Dragon. In their native regions they're known for their beautiful singing! I can't wait to work with Swablu, I'm sure it'll be amazing!""

"Swablu sound awesome," Misty smiled, although Ash got the feeling that the older girl had neglected to mention Scyther on purpose. "So you're a fan of Lance's?"

"He's just so cool!" Ash nodded, tugging sheepishly on her hat as they finally left the cover of trees. "He's only three years older than me and he's worked hard enough to become the Champion, of course I'm a fan! Anyone who can train a full team of dragons is worthy of respect, in my eyes, especially Dragonite. And he has _three_. I want to be a Pokemon Master someday, so seeing somebody become a Master so young… it's like, I actually do have a chance, you know? I don't think I could do it so quickly, but it just gives me a lot of courage to work hard."

"I totally get it, since I'm aiming to become a Water type Master!" Misty chirped, a familiar glint in her eyes. "He really is impressive."

From there, Ash found herself actually enjoying the other girl's company. They discussed their dream teams in great detail, and Ash shared what she knew of other regions' Water types. It turned out that Misty wasn't all that bad a traveling companion as long as there were no bugs around, and there was nothing irritating her, which was sort of a high trade off but Ash could work with it temporarily. She also had a lot of fun explaining Fairy types to Misty, who had been fascinated by Titania. She didn't mention that she'd been the one to tell Professor Oak about their existence, however; she knew how that would turn out.

They made it to Pewter City by midday, and both sighed upon entering the Pokemon Center, the air conditioning providing instant relief from the hot sun. Ash turned her Pokemon over to Nurse Joy for healing and checkups, grabbing a room for her and Misty before finding a seat in the corner of the cafeteria while Misty went up to their room for a shower. Pulling a notebook and her PokeDex out, Ash set to combing through the data she had.

Professor Oak had given her a PokeDex that already had multi-regional data accessible. She made a mental note to call him once she got her team back to thank him and show off Swablu. Since it was registered to her trainer account, her PokeDex already had its data available under her profile. She lowered the volume of the device before opening the file.

" _Swablu, the cotton bird Pokemon._ _Swablu has light and fluffy wings that are like cottony clouds. This Pok_ _e_ _mon is not frightened of people. It lands on the heads of people and sits there like a cotton-fluff hat._ _If it spots something dirty, it will wipe and polish it with its cottony wings. If its wings become dirty, this Pok_ _e_ _mon finds a stream and showers itself._

 _This Swablu is female and has the Natural Cure ability. It knows the moves Sing, Peck, Take Down, Fly, and Mirror Move."_

Ash sucked in a breath, tapping the end of her pen against her lip. Swablu had a really good move set, well balanced, and five moves in a wild Pokemon was uncommon. She had to wonder about her new teammate's past, but eventually decided it didn't matter. She'd been able to catch it, and she wasn't going to waste her luck.

After going through all the moves Swablu was capable of learning, Ash decided that after she was sure the little Flying type had mastered the ones she knew, she would teach her Perish Song and Steel Wing. Since Swablu already knew Sing, Perish Song should come easily, and a good Steel type move would give her the offensive power to finish rounding out her current move set.

As for Scyther… Ash looked over its stats and paled. It's attack and special attack were jaw-droppingly high, with an unreal speed; huge red flags for what could only be a highly aggressive nature. Its moves were some of the most powerful possible for Bug types, and it had Pokerus to boot.

Pokerus was a rare virus that was actually beneficial to a Pokemon's growth, causing them to gain strength rapidly while infected. But for a Pokemon already so high level?

Ash had no way of controlling something that powerful. She just didn't have the experience or skill, and Scyther were notorious for their stubbornness and difficulty to gain their respect. And since she'd only caught it by pure luck and because it's brain had been rattled by electricity, as well as it having abysmal defensive stats, there was no way it would listen to her. Now Ash was by no means a quitter, but she couldn't risk accidents involving out-of-control Pokemon registered to her.

She bit her lip, mind scrambling for a solution. She could release it, although that seemed like a waste. There was also trading… if she found a strong trainer willing to trade for Scyther－which wouldn't be that hard, trainers would pay out the nose for the chance to have a Pokemon with Pokerus－she might be able to get an equally rare Pokemon that wouldn't have the danger factor.

"You look troubled," a voice startled her from her half-formed plans, and she jerked her head up. A boy around her age with lavender hair and dark eyes gazed down at her, partway between concerned and amused. Ash recognized him instantly, even without the Hive Badge pinned to his collar.

"You're Bugsy!" She squeaked, and she silently wondered if Ho-oh's feather was granting her incredible luck. "By Lugia am I glad to see you!"

He raised an eyebrow and sat down across from her. "I see I'm known even outside Johto. While I'm flattered, I hope you don't mind explaining why you're so happy to see me," he said dryly. He didn't seem annoyed, though, and Ash slid her PokeDex across the table.

"I'm a new trainer who caught this beast of a Pokemon by pure luck, and have just realized how over my head I am with it. You wouldn't happen to be interested in taking Scyther, would you? I don't have the experience to handle it," she sighed.

Bugsy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he glanced at the screen, and he snatched up the PokeDex, scrolling through Scyther's information. With every line he read his eyes brightened further, a wild grin splitting his face in half. After a long moment, he looked up at her, delighted.

"Miss, this is the _exact_ Pokemon I came to Kanto for. When I heard the rumors of an incredible Scyther in Viridian Forest I had to come. Tell you what, I actually brought a recently hatched Pokemon from Johto to offer as a trade just in case someone caught Scyther before I could. I believe your effort in catching Scyther should not go to waste, especially since you're a new trainer. Are you familiar with the Houndoom line?"

Ash beamed. A dual Dark/Fire type would be perfect for her team! And a young Pokemon would be much easier to handle than an already powerful one.

"I am, and I'd be more than happy to trade with you. I'd actually much rather a Gym Leader have Scyther than just release it, to be honest. A lot of new trainers go through Viridian Forest and leaving Scyther there is a disaster waiting to happen."

Bugsy nodded seriously at her point, but he was pleased with the situation. When Ash informed him that Scyther was with Nurse Joy at the moment, the two passed the time with discussing the Pokemon they had on hand. The young Gym Leader was shocked to learn that she was Ash Ketchum, and trainer of the only known Sylveon across all regions. And Ash was excited to learn that Sabrina, the Leader of the Saffron Gym, actually had the second known Espeon; she wanted to know how Oberon would measure up to a psychic Gym Leader's Pokemon. They chatted until Nurse Joy called her name on the speaker system, and Bugsy followed Ash to the counter.

"Here are your Pokemon," Joy said with a cheerful smile.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ash bowed slightly as she took them back, greeting Pikachu with a scratch behind his ears. "Ne, does this Pokemon Center have a trading machine?"

"No, but I can manually trade Pokemon right here at my computer," the nurse offered. "It will take a little longer, but the result is the same."

Sharing a glance with Bugsy, both trainers nodded and chorused, "We'd like to do a trade, please."

"Alright, may I see your trainer IDs and the Pokemon to be traded?"

Ash handed over Scyther's Pokeball and her PokeDex, while Bugsy gave up a Cherish Ball and his Gym Badge. Gym Badges all had codes that could be scanned to ensure their authenticity. They could also serve as IDs for Gym Leaders, if registered for it.

While it wasn't instantaneous, the process of manually swapping the registered trainers for the Pokemon only took around ten minutes. Soon enough, Ash was the happy trainer of a young Houndour, and Bugsy had a beast of a Scyther to focus on. They both thanked Nurse Joy, and then turned to each other.

"Thank you very much," Bugsy dipped his head at her with a smile, holding Scyther's Pokeball with care. "It's not often a new trainer will freely admit to not being suitable trainer for a strong Pokemon, and it was very responsible of you to seek to find it an experienced trainer. It leaves me certain that Houndour will be well cared for in your hands."

"I really should be thanking you," Ash insisted, holding the Cherish Ball close. Maybe it was just her imagination, but it even _felt_ warm. "It's a big relief that you were here to take Scyther, and I'm grateful you were willing to trade when I could have just given it to you. I'll take good care of Houndour, I promise!"

The boy merely smiled. "I'm sure you will. If you ever decide to challenge the Johto Gyms, I'd be more than happy to battle you."

The very thought had Ash shivering in anticipation, eager to take him up on the offer. Maybe he'd even use that Scyther! Battling it for real once it had been trained up would be a huge challenge, and that's not even considering that Bugsy might evolve it before she could get to Johto.

"Well, I've got to do the Kanto circuit first," she laughed. "But definitely."

"I look forwards to it. Now, as I promised the higher-ups I'd return as soon as I found Scyther, I should be off. Take care, Ash, I'll be looking for you at the Conference!"

Beaming, Ash waved as the young Gym Leader left the Pokemon Center, and turned away. She had two new Pokemon to meet, and a team to train.


	4. Chapter 4

Ash had insanely good luck, and she was quick to credit the rainbow feather that clung to the skin over her heart. Not only were Swablu and Houndour the cutest little things, they were the sweetest too! Swablu hadn't even cared that Pikachu had knocked her clear out of the air, she was just happy for company, and she instantly befriended Oberon and Titania. And Houndour… recently hatched indeed, the puppy was a cheerful, dorky goofball that was in Ash's lap mere seconds after being released from his Pokeball.

After spending an hour or so getting to know her two newest teammates (warning Oberon not to drag Houndour into his little schemes, the brat), Ash took the rest of the day to train. Well, her three older partners trained, perfecting their moves, and Ash took Swablu and Houndour aside to see just where they were at.

Swablu's moves were refined and had a decent amount of power, but her accuracy wasn't the greatest. Ash set her to work with exercises to fix that. As for Houndour, he just needed all-around training to master his moves. Ash wouldn't even _think_ of teaching him more until he had perfected his current move set of Ember, Smog, Bite, and Counter. The fact that he even knew Counter told Ash he had a lot of potential, and she couldn't wait to help him maximize it.

By the time evening rolled around, she was pleased with how well her team was growing. She was only one slot away from a full team already, but she decided not to catch any more Pokemon unless they were really rare, or called to her in a way she couldn't ignore. Better to focus on a single team during the first year of her career than have to rotate several.

Ash stopped by the video phones on her way up to her and Misty's room, dialing Professor Oak's number. Pikachu was perched on one shoulder, Swablu half-asleep on the other, and she had Houndour in her arms while Oberon and Titania sat on the little desk area in front of the phone. That was the picture that greeted the professor when he picked up, and he smiled at her, eyeing her Pokemon.

" _Looks like you've found yourself some more Kanto-rare Pokemon,"_ he noted with amusement. In their home regions the Pokemon were fairly common, but in Kanto they were nearly unheard of. _"How on earth did you obtain a Swablu and Houndour between Pallet and Pewter?"_

"Swablu was in Viridian Forest for some reason I don't know, and I actually traded a Scyther I caught then too for Houndour here. I caught Scyther with luck and a lot of electricity, but it was just too strong for me. But you know Bugsy, the Gym Leader from Johto? He was here! He actually had been wanting to catch that same Scyther, so we traded," Ash explained, smiling down at the puppy, who yipped at her happily.

Samuel nodded in approval. _"A wise decision, Scyther are not Pokemon to take lightly. An individual specimen that attracts the attention of a foreign Gym Leader even more so! In any case, it looks like you're doing well, and are building a well-rounded team. Psychic, Fairy, Electric, Dark, Fire, Normal, Flying, and someday Dragon? A few more Pokemon and you'll be a difficult challenge to most trainers your age."_

"Thanks, Professor," she smiled softly, before she remembered something important. "Oh, you're never going to believe what I saw when I was heading towards Viridian. Can I send you pictures taken with my PokeDex?"

" _Yes, just insert it into the slot beneath the phone, it will automatically send me a system backup. What did you see?"_

Ash fumbled with her PokeDex, murmuring a soft thanks to Titania when the Fairy type assisted with her nimble ribbons. Instead of answering, she waited for the photos to send, smirking when the professor's eyes widened comically. His jaw fell open, mouth flapping but no sound emerging. It took a long minute for the man to regain control of himself.

" _W-why, this is_ _－_ _!"_

"I've been having pretty great luck ever since, which would explain Swablu and Houndour," she commented wryly.

" _That it would,"_ Samuel muttered, before he shook his head and looked back to the camera, an odd look in his eyes. _"According to the legends associated with Ho-oh, it promises eternal happiness to those who see it, and it's feathers are said to bring joy. Ashka, do you realize that you have provided me with solid proof of its existence, and its true appearance? These photos are wonderful, you were able to catch several different angles… Magnificent…"_

Ash took a moment to check the lobby behind her, and only reached beneath her shirt once she was satisfied she was alone. She gently removed Ho-oh's feather from her chest, and her Pokemon released noises of awe, drawing Samuel's attention. Once again, he was shocked into silence.

"This feather came down as it was flying past," she said quietly, holding it up to the camera. She took a long moment to consider her next action before deciding to trust in the man who helped raised her. With a few taps to the small keyboard, she activated the transporter connected to the phone. Normal transporters could send items instantaneously, and securely, and Poke Transporters could transfer Pokeballs safely. She set the feather on the transporter with care, stroking it once more before sending it over.

"I'll want this back eventually, but for now you can hold onto it. It stuck to my skin like glue wherever I put it, and only I could take it off, so I'm sure you'll find it worth studying. I think I've had my fair share of luck because of it, so I don't mind."

Samuel's expression was one of sheer wonder as he lifted the feather into view.

" _A Rainbow Wing… Oh, Ashka, this is incredible! I'll keep it safe for you, you have my word!"_

Honestly, to Ash, seeing that look of wondrous joy on the old man's face was more than enough, but she kept that thought to herself. She knew he wouldn't do anything crazy like try to track Ho-oh down. Check for genetic material on or in the feather to study, yes, but he had a bone-deep respect for the Legendaries and would never put them in harm's way.

She spent a few more minutes conversing with the professor before she decided to head to her room.

"Tell Daisy I said hello, and that I'm doing fine," she said.

" _I will, she'll be happy to hear from you. Arceus knows that Gary hasn't called us once! Honestly, that boy… he's caught almost twenty Pokemon but he can't be bothered to send an email."_

"He's probably just excited to finally be out on the road," Ash shrugged, readjusting her grip on a dozing Houndour. Her chest felt a little cold without the constant, soothing presence of the feather, but she felt it would be selfish to hoard its existence. "If I see him I'll remind him to check in."

" _Thank you, Ash, we appreciate it."_ He sighed, then, and his mood seemed to lower significantly. _"… I spoke with your mother, after you set off."_

Ice.

Her entire body was cold, suddenly, blood frozen in her veins and throat tight.

"... Ah," she forced out, vaguely aware of her Pokemon, even the new ones, crooning softly at her, worried. Swablu's beak swept across the side of her face, the sensation grounding Ash a little even as the ground threatened to drop away from beneath her feet.

It had been nearly two weeks since she last thought of that argument.

" _You did nothing wrong, Ashka,"_ Samuel said gently, firmly. _"She should not have tried to prevent your journey in such a manner, and I made sure she knew that. You are a brilliant young lady who loves Pokemon very much, who has a lot of potential, and your journey will be good for you. You deserve to be able to enjoy it."_

Ash nodded jerkily, offering a strained smile that somehow held. Samuel recognized that she'd reached her limit on this topic, and let it drop.

" _Well, it's getting late. Get a good night's sleep, and good luck with your Gym Match!"_

"Thanks, Professor. You too. Good night."

Ash ended the call, and took a slow breath. Titania's ribbons were wrapped around her arm, and she leaned forwards to press a kiss to the top of her Sylveon's head. Then she gave one to Oberon, one to Pikachu, one to Swablu, and one to Houndour. The affection settled their concern somewhat, and she forced herself to relax.

"You guys are the best," she told them softly, and then led the way up to their room for a much-needed shower.

XxXxX

Misty listened, a little entranced by the melody as Ash hummed softly and guided the brush over her Sylveon's fur, freshly washed just like the rest of the team. The young trainer had spent nearly two hours after her own shower bathing and grooming each member of her team, the repetitive motions likely soothing to both her and the Pokemon.

She'd done her newer, younger Pokemon first, saving Sylveon for last since, as Ash explained, she was as vain as could be and never accepted any less than thirty minutes of thorough grooming after being bathed. The Sylveon was purring in contentment as Ash brushed her fur until it shined, perfectly glossy with not a single hair out of place.

Misty watched from the top bunk, one eyebrow raised as Sylveon used her ribbons to prevent Ash from pulling the brush away. The redhead hid a smile as Ash went along with it, continuing to brush the Pokemon's already perfect fur. She had to admit, for a new trainer, Ash _really_ cared about her Pokemon.

The two newcomers (Misty had been very confused about the Houndour until Ash explained, although she was more than a little relieved to know that Scyther was no longer around) had responded well to the attention and affection, and were now already sleeping on the bottom bunk with the Espeon and Pikachu while Ash finished up the last one. The younger girl was meticulous about grooming, but seemed lost deep in thought while she went through the motions. She looked upset, in a distant way.

Misty wondered what happened, but figured it wasn't her business. After the hours of grooming her team, she seemed fine now, so there wasn't much point in dragging it up again. And she knew all too well what it was like to have secrets she'd rather not be asked about.

XxXxX

Ash thanked Nurse Joy as she took back her Pokemon and felt Pikachu's comforting weight settle on her shoulder. The electric mouse had an air of satisfaction about him, and she didn't blame him. She had just defeated Brock an hour ago, with Pikachu and his devastating Iron Tail ending the battle with Onix after Oberon had taken out Brock's Geodude via a well-timed Confusion, and was about to head to the shops to get more supplies for her journey. Misty had gone to the shops before Ash had even woken up, and so she hadn't seen the redhead all day.

She let Houndour out of his Pokeball too, wanting to spend some more time getting to know him. She'd done the same with Swablu that morning before the Gym match. Houndour yipped, short tail wagging slightly. He was jolly-natured and it showed, as most of his kind came across as serious rather than adorable like he did.

"We're going to stock up on supplies," she told the two, kneeling down to pet Houndour, giggling when he twisted his neck to lick her wrist. "Stay close, okay? I don't want you to get lost."

He nodded, and followed her out the door, nose twitching as he took in the smells of Pewter City. Still, he was nothing if not eager to please, and remained within a foot or two of her legs at all times. Keeping an eye on him anyways, Ash made her way around the main street of Pewter, grabbing Potions, Antidotes, Awakenings, and Paralyze Heals. She'd be headed through Mt. Moon soon and she did _not_ want to get caught halfway through with no battle-ready Pokemon. She paused by what looked like a high-end thrift shop, a digital camera in the shop's front window catching her gaze.

Ash's main thing was battling; it was her passion, and nothing made her feel like a good battle did. She craved that thrill, the rush of all the hard work paying off in a satisfying clash of skills and desires. But she did have a couple side-hobbies, and one of them was taking pictures. She wasn't a photographer, didn't want to be, but she liked having pictures of good times. Plus, the idea of having pictures as her Pokemon grew and eventually evolved was appealing.

She bought the camera, and the first image saved to its memory card was of herself and her team.

She was messing around with it, having stopped in an out of the way park area to release her team, when Brock approached her. A backpack was slung over one of his shoulders, and his lips twitched in amusement when Swablu rocketed past, Oberon close behind and cackling about something. Ash wasn't sure she wanted to know.

It did make for a funny picture, though, and she smirked as she looked at the camera's screen. An indignant Swablu with her beak wide open was at the far right of the image, edges a little blurred from motion, and an all-too-smug looking Espeon with outstretched paws was only halfway in the frame from the left side. Shutting off the camera, she got to her feet to greet the Gym Leader.

"Going on a trip?"

The older teen chuckled, shifting the bag to his other shoulder. "Somehow. My old man finally came back and is going to take back the title of Gym Leader, so I'm free to go on my own journey. I heard you were traveling with Misty… would you mind if I tag along? I'm more into breeding than battling, but I might be of some help."

Ash wondered, briefly, if giving the professor the feather had marked the return of her bad luck, before forcing it down. She really didn't even want to travel with other humans, but to refuse would probably be a lesser version of kicking a baby Pokemon across a room. Not nice.

"Sure, I don't mind."

 _She did mind, but she'd also known that this would happen. Known from the moment she saw him that he'd be sticking around for a while. She didn't want to know all these things. The knowledge made her feel guilty when she wanted to avoid it._

Brock visibly brightened, and Ash hid a sigh. At least he seemed more level-headed than Misty.


	5. Chapter 5

Ash exhaled slowly as she extended her leg farther, settling into a full split. She and her companions were about a day's trek away from Mt. Moon, camped out a little ways off the path, and she was just finishing up the new routine of exercise she'd given herself. Just a few hours after they'd left Pewter, Ash had developed the irresistible urge to start working out. She didn't question it; the last time something like this had happened, giving in to the urge had saved her life from one of the Tauros that was rampaging in the Corral. All she knew what that training her own body could only be of use, and so she refused to wonder how she already knew exactly what to do.

Oberon slunk over with a cheerful greeting, her hat slung over one side of his head. He'd run off with it earlier, and she gave him a flat look before lifting it off of him and putting it back on her own head. He just purred louder, draping himself over her shin.

"Dork," she muttered fondly.

"Ash," Brock called, "food's ready!"

In a flare of soft light, Oberon was sitting right next to the teen, licking his lips eagerly. Ash rolled her eyes. Of course he would use Teleport to ensure he got the first taste of Brock's cooking; Oberon loved her baking, but Brock's cooking skills were unparalleled. Getting to her feet, she walked back to the campfire. Misty was already there, and once everyone and their Pokemon were eating the redhead sat up a bit straighter.

"Alright, since the three of us are traveling together, I figured we should get to know each other a bit," Misty announced, eyes bright.

Hiding a sigh, Ash slouched where she sat and waited.

"We all know each others goals, and where we're from," Misty nodded to herself, "so let's just say a couple things about ourselves, like hobbies, a few likes or dislikes, or some side goals. Stuff like that! I'll go first… I enjoy swimming, I like sweets, and someday I'd like to take some ballroom dance lessons. You guys?"

Brock spoke next, agreeable as ever. "Well, one of my main hobbies is actually learning about history, and I also enjoy baseball. My likes… I'm a fan of savory dishes, if that counts. As for dislikes… running away from responsibility. And a side goal of mine is to hatch and raise a Pokemon, not just catch them."

Ash smiled at that. These two seemed like decent humans, at least, so she may as well humor them. She hummed in thought when they turned to her expectantly.

"I like taking pictures," she offered. "And baking. Going with the food theme for likes, I like pastries. I dislike arrogance. I have two side-goals; I want to learn to play a flute or ocarina since I like how they sound and they have more notes than grass whistles, and I want to learn how to go rock climbing, free-handed."

"That sounds fun! You know, Cerulean has shops that sell seashell flutes and ocarinas, they're beautiful and each one is unique," Misty sighed longingly, before shaking herself. Something about home, Ash guessed. "Anyways, what's a grass whistle?"

"Yeah, I haven't heard of it before either," Brock piped up.

Ash turned to her team. "Titania, sweetie, can you grab me a good leaf? I'm gonna whistle."

"Syl!" She trilled, immediately going over to the nearby bushes to find one big enough and with the right shape. She loved it when Ash played a grass whistle; in fact, Ash had yet to meet a Pokemon that didn't. It must have been something about the sound of the leaf, more natural that most instruments. Ash accepted the offered leaf when Titania trotted over, stroking along her spine before holding it up for her two human companions to see.

"You take a leaf, put it tight against your mouth－"－she paused here as she did so, and then continued, voice a little muffled－"－and you tilt it when you blow to get different notes."

With that, she started to play, a simple melody that she often defaulted to when she had no songs she was interested in learning. Her mind whispered, _Oracion_ , but that hardly mattered when the soothing yet almost haunting notes carried away all her thoughts.

The light evening breeze added to the suddenly peaceful atmosphere, and when the melody repeated Swablu decided to join in with her own crooning, mellow voice. To the side, Pikachu closed his eyes and enjoyed the little performance, joined by the two Eeveelutions and Houndour. Ash resisted the urge to smile, since it would force her to stop playing.

The song slowed, clearly coming to an end. Ash opened her eyes as she let the last note trail off, a slight motion of her fingers causing Swablu to do the same. She smiled down at her Flying type.

"You've got such a pretty voice," she praised, smiling when Swablu chirped and fluttered over to sit on her lap. "Would you mind if I nicknamed you Alto?"

Swablu's eyes widened, and she trilled happily. Alto it was.

"Whoa… where did you learn that? Can you teach me?!"

Ash took a moment to resist the urge to walk away. She'd shown off a skill, she should honestly have expected this.

XxXxX

Mt. Moon was bigger than Ash ever imagined.

It soared towards the clouds, a great stone giant that watched over the surrounding forests. If Mt. Moon was this massive, and wasn't even the tallest in Kanto, Ash had to wonder what kind of Pokemon lived on the far taller Mt. Silver. The faint cries of Pokemon seemed to fade as they approached the opening to the tunnels, only to come back with a vengeance as a swarm of Zubat came screeching out into daylight, wings battering a man who was frantically trying to escape.

"Pikachu, wide-spread Thundershock," she ordered as soon as the situation processed in her mind. With a sharp nod of acknowledgement, her partner launched off her shoulder and charged up. With a cry, he send a wave of controlled electricity shooting forwards, just strong enough to paralyze the Zubat. They dropped to the ground, and Brock jogged over to the man, absently capturing a fallen Zubat as he passed.

"Are you alright?"

As it turned out, Seymour the scientist was fine, if shaken. The man was more concerned about the Pokemon in the tunnels, and the terrible lights that kept getting put up. It was causing all sorts of chaos for the local Pokemon.

After the group had returned the still out of it Zubat to the safety of the cave, where their sensitive skin wouldn't be burned by daylight, Ash offered to help take down the lights again. It wasn't that hard, with Oberon's psychic powers. She had the Espeon out beside her, and tucked her trainer belt beneath the hem of her hoodie. She had a bad feeling about the situation, like she'd been through this before and had been caught off guard by something. She didn't like it.

Seymour was rambling on about the Moon Stone and Pokemon being alien, and the two Gym Leaders were humoring him by just nodding along. Ash didn't envy them; Seymour seemed nice, but _weird_. She was much more interested in the comforting resonance that caused her bones to hum and heart to flutter. There was power, in Mt. Moon, and it sung to her. A quick glance at Oberon confirmed that he felt it too, although he wasn't nearly as affected by it. Before she could focus on that, however…

Drilling. Someone was drilling into the rocks, the sound harsh and unrelenting.

"You three stay back a bit," Ash instructed lowly, knowing that Brock's Pokemon were either too big or too loud and Misty's were useless on land, and ducked into the shadows of the tunnels. "Looks like someone's mining illegally."

"They're ruining the habitat," Seymour whispered, distressed.

She shushed him and hauled herself up onto a nearby ledge, carefully making her way higher on the tunnel walls, getting closer to the source of the drilling. Peering around the next bend, she scowled at the trio who were haphazardly yanking rocks from the walls of the cave. Red 'R's were branded across the equipment and the front of the two human's clothing. Team Rocket, then, a group of criminals with more financial backing than they'd right to.

"Oberon, use Psychic to disable them, Confusion to knock them out as soon as you can. Evade with Teleport and defend with Swift if necessary," she breathed out the commands, watching in satisfaction as a pale blue glow surrounded the Rocket grunts and their strange Meowth. Their shrieks of protest were easily silenced by being slammed against the wall they'd just been trying to mine, and Ash slid down to the ground as Oberon strutted over to the downed criminals. "Are they out?"

"Espe," Oberon nodded, taking farther security measures by using Psychic to call rope to him and tying the grunts' hands and ankles, doing the same for the Meowth, and then stringing them up together to hang off of their own equipment. He also took the liberty of removing their Pokeballs, stuffing them in a nearby sack.

"Good work," she said at a normal volume, walking into the cave. She heard her companions trail in behind her, little gasps of shock as they took in the scene. Ignoring them, Ash studied some of the open crates scattered around. There were chunks of some kind of ore, Moon Stones, and what looked like... fossils? She scowled. "Brock, do you have a way to contact Pewter? I think Officer Jenny should take a look at all this."

"Yeah, my Badge has an emergency communication radio," he replied, pressing a hidden button on it and causing it to light up briefly. When it beeped, he spoke. "This is Brock Harrison, previous Gym Leader of Pewter City. I'm currently inside of Mt. Moon, and there's been some Rocket activity. Requesting a clean-up crew and transport for detained Rockets."

It was a mere few seconds later that the badge lit up again, and a woman's voice crackled to life.

" _This is Officer Jenny, we've received your coordinates and will be with you within the hour. Please exercise caution with the detainees, and stay alert."_

"Will do, thanks," Brock mumbled in a dazed fashion. Confused, Ash glanced back at him, only to see what looked like literal hearts floating around him. Bewildered, she glanced at Misty, who only seemed annoyed by it. So… Brock did have his faults…

XxXxX

After being given a two-man escort to the other side of Mt. Moon and bidding farewell to Seymour, Ash considered her journey so far. On one hand, she was well on the way to building up a powerful team that specialized in absolute control and precision over every move they knew, granting them near-limitless possibilities in using said moves, and had two human traveling companions that weren't the worst humans around. On the other, she had two human traveling companions, and had already had an encounter with the dreaded Team Rocket, albeit an anti-climactic one. She had also lost the chance to go look at the Moon Stone.

Glancing up as Alto gliding overhead, she let her eyes wander. Alto would let her know if she saw anything from her vantage point in the air. Pikachu, comfortable as ever on her shoulder, was acting as a sort of center guard, keeping eyes, ears, and nose alert to their surroundings. Titania walked along about a yard beside and behind her, one ribbon extended and loosely wrapped around her trainer's wrist and feigning disdainful apathy while really guarding the groups flank.

They were pretty much safe, right now. The current issue was Misty.

The redhead was fidgeting, and was obviously anxious. She got worse the closer they got to the fork in the road that separated the paths between Celadon and Cerulean, and since Ash had already voiced her intent to travel to Cerulean, it wasn't that hard to figure out the issue. Well, part of it. But Ash was nothing if not a lover of a challenge.

"I wonder what the Cerulean Gym Leader is like," she mused out loud, catching Titania's gaze and winking. The Sylveon only rolled her eyes, a tiny smile flitting across her muzzle before the disinterested and holier-than-thou expression returned. The Queen never did approve of showing any emotion but 'regal' when they were in public.

If only her King would get the memo.

"... There's actually four Gym Leaders," Misty sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "The older three are only in it so they can use the Gym's pool for their water ballet shows. I don't know how well they're holding up, honestly."

"And the fourth?"

Misty squirmed in discomfort, avoided Ash's expectant gaze and Brock's awkward grimace. Her eyes lacked their usual spark, and she fiddled with her suspenders aimlessly.

"She… decided to travel, and prove she could be a Water Master before going back."

Ah.

"Would she be willing to hold the battle somewhere besides the Gym, so long as all League requirements are met?" Ash prodded with a knowing look, relieved that things finally made sense. Misty's reluctance to go to Cerulean could have proved troublesome if not properly addressed, and as averse as Ash was to making human friends, she didn't want to cause Misty any extra stress or hurt. That would just be cruel.

Misty stared at her, dumbfounded, like the solution had never occurred to her. Ash gave her a deadpan stare. Surely it wasn't that uncommon? It was in the League rules for a reason, after all.

From the look on the other girl's face, Ash knew she'd have some convincing to do, but a good battle would always be worth the effort.

XxXxX

Lance raised an eyebrow when he saw the non-League related email from Bugsy. He _was_ the champion of Indigo and thus both the regions that made it up, but he was hardly close enough to the younger Gym Leader for chitchat. Still, he opened the email and read through it, lips twitching upwards at the corners as the reason for the message became clear.

 _She shows great promise despite having been a trainer for less than a month, although that's no doubt partially due to the fact that her Sylveon and Espeon have been with her for several years. She's highly intelligent, her Pokemon respect and care for her dearly, and I may have hung around out of sight and observed how she handled the Houndour I traded her…_

 _Let's just say she has a way with Pokemon, and had she a bit more experience the Scyther would have become a powerhouse on her team (although I'm pleased she was willing to trade him to me, he's a skilled battler and I have my work cut out for me in training him). Her Pokemon show an incredible mastery over their moves, and I've no doubt she'll go far._

 _She's got the same look in her eyes when she trains her team as you do when you battle, Lance. I'd keep an eye on her progress if I were you._

A wide grin spread across the young Champion's face. Gym Leaders rarely spoke so highly of new trainers, and said trainers almost always were in the top 16 at least in whatever Conference they entered. And this trainer sounded like she might be a fitting challenger for him someday.

If only Bugsy had actually _mentioned her name._


	6. Chapter 6

Ash followed Misty through a side-street in Cerulean, taking in the crowds. After battling the Gym Leader in Cerulean Cave and earning the Cascade Badge (a great battle, Misty's strategy had been solid and more difficult to overcome than Ash had expected), she'd asked where to find those ocarinas that Misty had mentioned. So now the other girl was leading her to an apparently well-known shop closer to the beach. Brock had gone off to buy some more supplies, so it was just the girls going.

Ash studied her companion as they walked, noting how relaxed Misty was, how bubbly her speech became and how even her body movements grew more fluid in the familiar streets of her hometown. Bundles of shells were strung up, their pinks and yellows and silvers holding gazes when the sound of them clattering together and swaying in the sea breeze drew attention. Misty was in her element, this close to the ocean, and Ash simply followed with slight fascination.

Pikachu was clambering across her shoulders restlessly, eager to see the sights. She didn't blame him; Cerulean City was beautiful, colorful, and smelled wonderful (there were spices at pretty much every stand in the market and someone was cooking something nearby that smelled amazing). Alto was enjoying the breeze, too, although she remained perched on top of Ash's hat; she'd battled Misty's Starmie and was still a little tired.

"Here it is!" Misty chirped, pulling Ash's focus away from the rest of the street and towards a modest little shop made of sandstone and painted a pale blue. A bell jingled as Misty led the way inside, and Ash slowed as she looked around its interior. Most of the wooden floor was empty save for some chairs and tables, and a few displays of instruments. The walls were covered in shelves and racks, ocarinas, flutes, drums, and various guitars organized by size.

Offering an expectant Misty a grateful smile, Ash began wandering the store, although she quickly turned to the shelves with the instruments she was interested in. Her Pokemon both hopped (or fluttered) to the floor, looking at the lower shelves but knowing not to touch.

"Pika pi?" Pikachu pointed at one a little below her range of vision, and she obligingly crouched down to see what he'd found. The electric mouse was gesturing to a twelve-hole ocarina that looked to be made out of a pale, iridescent material. It was shaped much like a conch shell, complete with natural-looking spikes and ridges, while still keeping the appearance of a standard ocarina.

Ash gingerly lifted it off its little stand. It was just a bit bigger than her hand, lightweight without seeming fragile. She turned over the tag danging from on the the ridges and winced; 15000 Poke with an included lanyard and case, a hefty price but still doable. She would only be put about 7000 Poke behind on repaying Misty for her ruined bike, but that could be easily earned back in a couple of battles, which she could probably find out on the beach. Stroking Pikachu's fur in thanks, she stood and approached the counter.

"Can I test the sound before buying it?" She asked the elderly man, whose height meant that even sitting down he was still a foot taller than she was. He nodded, eyes glittering oddly at the sight of the ocarina in her hands.

"Of course, lass. Do ya' know how ta play?"

She shook her head. "I want to learn, though."

"Then let me show ya' what this lil' one sounds like with experience," he chuckled, "'cause if ya' know what ya' doin', anythin' can sound like a pro."

Ash handed over the ocarina when prompted, and the old man set the mouthpiece against his lips. Immediately, a lively tune began to echo through the empty shop, the notes smooth and clear as nimble fingers danced across the holes in the shell's surface. She watched, enchanted, as he played, the music the story of splashing fins and bright laughter. Her sharp eyes worked hard to memorize the notes and finger placements as he drew the song to its close.

She clapped when the shop keeper placed the ocarina onto the counter with a smile, her Pokemon giving happy little trills and coos, joined by Misty, who'd been waiting close to the counter. The man smiled, giving a little bow, before reaching for an antibacterial spray and cloth to clean off the ocarina, focusing on its mouthpiece. Ash appreciated that, having not considered the fact that the instrument required mouth contact.

"And there ya' have it," he said lightly. "A twelve-hole in the C-key. So what ya' think, lass? A good sound?"

Ash nodded enthusiastically, already imagining how Oracion would sound on it. And the other song, one she didn't play as often but still loved just as much…

"It's beautiful. I'd like to buy it, please!"

Just a few minutes later, the iridescent ocarina was hers, and she gently secured it inside its case, and then in her bag. She also bought a beginner's book on playing ocarinas, although she really would only need it to learn the notes and finger placements. After that it was just playing her songs by ear.

She thanked Misty as they stepped back out into the afternoon sun, excited about her purchase. The redhead waved it off with a smile, and looked towards the beach.

"You up to seeing if anyone wants to battle? It's been a while since I've been able to set Goldeen loose in the ocean," she admitted. "She needs to stretch her fins."

"I need to get back the money I just dropped on my ocarina," Ash agreed, only a little sheepish. But she did want to give Alto some more experience, maybe find someone strong enough to give Oberon and Titania a challenge or who could keep up with Pikachu, and maybe later she could find somewhere away from the crowds to practice the ocarina.

After agreeing to meet back at the Pokemon Center that evening, Ash set off, making her way towards the areas she could already seeing people battling. Over the next two hours, she won all the battles she was challenged to, earning back the money she'd spent and then some. Alto had done well, not taking much damage but since her stamina wasn't that good yet, she was only able to keep going for one of those hours. Pikachu took care of most of the others, although there had been two older trainers who forced Ash to bring out Titania and Oberon, but she managed to win those battles in the end.

Houndour wasn't at a level she felt comfortable pitting him against Water types, so he just sat next to her and watched, enjoying the heat if not their proximity to the sea. Observing would be good for him anyways, Ash was sure; Houndour had good eyes, and watching his teammates battle got him pumped up for training.

Once she'd extracted herself from the group of trainers' casual 'tournament', Ash wandered towards Cerulean Cave. At this time, most everyone had gone back to the city to take a break from the heat and to eat, so it wasn't that long until she found a secluded cove that she had all to herself. Calling out all her Pokemon, she cleared her throat.

"Alright, guys, let's get some training in. Pikachu, I want you to alternate jogging and running laps around the sand. It'll build your stamina, and help prepare you to fight on unstable ground. Throw in sustaining Agility once you get a feel for the terrain. I'll let you know when to start working on Thunderbolt. Oberon, I want you to practice using Psychic on the water and the sand, making it constantly move around you, like a shield. Experiment with it however you want, you just need to work on being flexible on the battlefield in case you're ever up against a Dark or Bug type that your psychic powers won't work against. Psychic attacks won't work _directly_ , but you can work _around_ the disadvantage. I'll tell you when to start working on Shadow Ball again.

"Titania, I want you working on Protect. You've made pretty great progress, you just need to perfect it and speed it up. Then you can work on refining it, and whatever variations you want to make. Alto, you'll be working on perfecting the accuracy and speed of your attacks. I'll have Oberon set up sand into targets for you. And Houndour, sweetheart, you and I are going to be building our stamina with Pikachu by running on the sand, okay?"

Her team voiced their agreements, and set to work as soon as Ash was satisfied that Alto had enough targets (fifty was a good start, right? And it went hand in hand with Oberon's training too, so she figured it was fine). They spread out along the beach, each focused on their tasks and determined to make significant improvement by the time Ash called for a break.

The young trainer was proud of her team's determination. Even if Oberon and Pikachu joined forces in the second half of training with mischief in their eyes (a psychic-controlled Thundershock was great for double battles, not so much for sending towards the nearby Krabby who Ash really did not want to have to battle right now), all five Pokemon were working hard.

Ash was working hard, too, training her body and building up her strength and endurance. She even practiced climbing the rocky cliffs closer to Cerulean Cave, with only Oberon to catch her if she fell. She only fell twice, but got higher each time she attempted the climb, appreciating the small cheer-squad of Pokemon at the foot of the cliff.

Closer to sunset, Ash told her Pokemon to cool down and rest a bit while she read through the instructional book she'd bought. The gentle breeze was relaxing, and she dug her feet into the wet sand where the waves just barely washed over her toes when they broke onto the shore. After memorizing the finger placements, she pulled out the ocarina.

Ash took a moment to wonder at it's beauty, its smooth, shimmering surface semi-reflective and soothing. Then, she put it to her lips, arranged her fingers, and tested each note the ocarina was capable of. Her mind quickly ran through the two songs she knew, making the connection of where to put her fingers for each note.

And then she played.

The notes wavered with her inexperience, but the nameless song she often hummed to herself carried over the waves. She lost herself to it, repeating parts of the melody where it felt right, letting the sound of the water mingle with the melody. Like Oracion, it felt of power, but this was slower, older. This was a song that spoke of an ancient power, a role to play, and the great mystery of the sea.

As she let the final note fade, she could have sworn she saw something large far out from the beach, a pale form concealed beneath the rolling waves before retreating to deeper water. Slowly lowering the ocarina, she gazed out at the ocean, getting to her feet. The short glimpse she'd caught was enough.

"That was your song, wasn't it?" She whispered, distantly hoping her voice could somehow reach it. "Lugia."

A deep, reverberating hum, just barely audible over the waves, was her only answer. But it was enough.

XxXxX

Ash set an envelope down by Misty's hand as she dropped into a chair across from the other girl, ready to dig in to the meal provided by the Pokemon Center. She'd already set up food for her Pokemon and released them so they could eat. They were hungrier than normal, from all the training and battling they'd fit into the day.

"What is this?"

"For your bike," Ash replied after swallowing a mouthful of rice. "I don't know how much it cost exactly, but that's the amount that the shop's website had listed for the model you said it was. Let me know if it isn't enough, I can get the rest to you soon."

Brock glanced between them, confused. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, I borrowed her bike to get Pikachu to the Pokemon Center after a Spearow attack when I was just starting out, and it ended up getting fried by Pikachu's electricity. So I'm paying her back," Ash explained before Misty could even blink.

The teen nodded in understanding. Bikes _were_ expensive, and to lose one would set any average trainer well back in finances. If he was surprised that Ash was able to provide enough money to replace Misty's, he didn't mention it, instead looking back to the map spread out in front of him. The younger girl eyed it, recognizing it; it was a slightly more detailed version of the map Daisy had given her before she started her journey.

"Got any locations in mind?" She asked.

Brock shrugged. "Not really. Most of the experience I need will be in raising my own Pokemon, which can be done anywhere. Kanto doesn't have any specific locations for breeders to practice or learn the trade since the pros take on students by recommendation. There's conferences and such held throughout the region all year long, so I'll just have to drop by some when I find them, and until then work on my studies."

Ash frowned. That sounded rather unfair to people who wanted to pursue the career; it gave the advantage to the people who already had an 'in' to the community. Seeing the look on her face, Brock smiled ruefully.

"It's just how it is. Anyways, I was _actually_ marking out some stuff I heard from other trainers; there's been some large-scale seasonal migrations from Johto and Hoenn seen passing through or scheduled to pass through different parts of Kanto this year," he explained with enthusiasm. "We should come across several of them no matter where we end up going."

She nodded in response, pleased with the information. Trainer gossip was good for that much, at least, and could be cross-referenced with a number of online forums that liked to keep track of migratory patterns－it was a useful skill, whether you were hoping for a new capture or looking to trade information.

Eyeing the paths he'd already mapped out, Ash forced down the discomfort at still being around humans. Instead, she finished her meal, and then sent an email to Daisy, asking her if she could find out if Serena had an email or phone number Ash could use now that she was on the road. If anyone could find out, it would be Daisy; the Contest Champion had connections in almost all the regions, and helped babysit the youngsters during the summer camp all those years ago.

Holding back a sigh, Ash shared a tired glanced with Pikachu before sending a subtle hand motion Oberon's way. Time to head to bed.

XxXxX

"Hey, what's that over there?" Misty frowned, pointing farther up the path. A small orange figure was curled up on a rock, shivering in the cold wind the oncoming storm was kicking up. As they group approached, the figure got clearer.

Ash's eyes widened in horror.

Breaking out into a sprint, she rushed to the tiny Charmander's side, taking in the bruising, cuts, and weakened tail flame. Pikachu hopped to the ground, cooing gently at the Charmander. It struggled to open its eyes. With great effort, it focused on Pikachu's worried face, croaking out something. Pikachu slowly shook his head, coaxing the small Fire type to speak a bit more. After a minute or so, during which time Misty and Brock reached them and gasped at the scene, Pikachu turned to Ash.

"Pika pika pi, chu pikachu!" He gestured wildly to her, trying to explain the situation.

"Its trainer told it to wait here?" She repeated, fury simmering in her chest. It was going to rain soon, probably within the hour, and only the Pokemon Center up ahead was within running distance. There was no reason for a trainer to leave their Pokemon out here in such conditions.

Pikachu nodded, eyeing the Charmander's battered appearance. Something in Ash keened, high and piercing, mournful and angry and determined all at once. She knelt down in front of the rock, catching and holding the Pokemon's gaze.

"Little one," she said softly. "It's going to rain soon. Any good trainer would be worried if their Pokemon got sick from this weather; won't you come with us to the Pokemon Center? That's where trainers would look first if their Pokemon weren't here when they got back. You can come back as soon as the storm passes," she added, seeing that the undersized Charmander was about to protest. "No trainer would be traveling during the storm, anyways."

Charmander warbled uncertainly, taking a long look around, as if expecting its trainer to show up at any moment. When the minutes ticked on and there was no sign of anyone, it slumped in defeat. Raising its head to meet her eyes, it nodded, struggling to get to its feet.

"Its okay, I'll carry you," Ash reassured the obviously weakened Pokemon. "The Pokemon Center is close by, we'll be quick."

"Char," it sighed, and allowed her to pick it up carefully. Pikachu jumped back onto her shoulder, and she turned a bit to glance at her companions. They looked as uneasy as Ash felt about the situation, suspicious about this little Charmander's trainer and the condition it was in. But since it had agreed to come with them, the best thing to do was take it to Nurse Joy.

Later, Ash would think it was lucky she was able to convince Charmander to come with her without much trouble. The following afternoon and evening would be painful, but in the end it was for the best.

The small group had just run inside the Pokemon Center when it began to pour, a torrent of rain that would definitely have killed the poor Charmander had it remained outside. Ash handed Charmander over to Nurse Joy, explaining what Pikachu had translated for her. After Chansey talked to Charmander and confirmed it, Joy thanked the trio for helping out, and sent the little Fire type to the back for emergency treatment. Once it was out of earshot, Ash quietly voiced their suspicions of Charmander being abandoned by an abusive trainer.

The woman's eyes hardened; as someone dedicated to caring for Pokemon, abusing a Pokemon was one of the greatest sins a trainer could commit. There wasn't a Joy in Kanto that would hesitate to report abuse, or call in Officer Jenny to investigate. Which was why when Charmander was released, the little Fire type trotting away to stare out the front door anxiously, and one of the trainers in the lobby pointed out to their companion just walking down from the room areas that it was there, Nurse Joy was watching them like a Pidgeot.

"Hey, Damien, isn't that your Charmander?"

"That weak thing? Hah, it couldn't even follow orders and stay where it was! Useless beast," Damien snorted, obnoxious voice carrying over a suddenly silent lobby.

"Char…? Charmander!" It perked up upon seeing Damien, apparently not having heard or understood what its 'trainer' had said about it. With a happy trill, it scampered over to the sneering teen.

Ash snarled in fury when a booted foot lashed out, kicking Charmander clear across the lobby, and she lunged to catch the poor baby. Skidding to a stop amid shocked cries from the surrounding trainers, she whirled to glare at the monster in human skin.

"How dare you?!" She growled dangerously, cradling a stunned and confused Charmander close.

"How dare _I_?" Damien had the gall to laugh at her, at Charmander. "That thing's pathetic, why should I bother with it? I told it to wait for me on that rock just to get it to stop following me. What a stupid Pokemon, it actually did for a while. Not long enough though, clearly."

"Are you saying you _wanted_ Charmander to be out in the rain?" Brock demanded, entire body rigid with barely-controlled anger. Murmurs broke out among the other trainers, save for Damien's group, the tension rising. Distantly, Ash hoped he would punch Damien. He certainly had the physical strength to make it count. "Charmander would have died if we hadn't convinced it to come here!"

Shrugging callously, Damien turned up his nose. "You should have left the dumb thing out there, its too weak to be of any use."

"... Char…?"

Ash glanced down, heart clenching as she saw the first tears trickle from Charmander's wide eyes. She noted the little scars that lined its dulled scales, its visible ribs and cloudy irises that spoke of a _minimum_ of months of abuse. Lifting a hand, she gently rubbed Charmander's head.

"I've heard enough!" Nurse Joy shouted, livid. Every trainer in the room jumped at the sound, shocked into silence by the normally soft-voiced woman's outburst. "Chansey, if you would?"

With a dark sort of satisfaction, Chansey laid Damien out flat with a well-placed Pound attack, dragging the now-unconscious teen through the doors to the back of the Pokemon Center. In the moment that followed, Joy drew herself up and narrowed her eyes at Damien's group.

"You there, who were with that trainer. You will _not_ leave unless Officer Jenny permits it, after she's finished dealing with Damien and inspecting your Pokemon for signs of abuse. No one is above the law. Miss Ketchum, please look after Charmander while I escort these 'trainers' towards the holding room with Damien."

"I'll help you, Nurse Joy," Misty said immediately, shooting a dark look towards the nervous group. The pink-haired woman nodded in thanks, and set off to herd the group in the direction Chansey had gone.

That dealt with, Ash sank into a nearby chair, still petting a now-sobbing Charmander. She cuddled it close, whispering soft reassurances even as the rest of the trainers began to gossip about what just happened, sending pitying looks the little Fire type's way.

"You're not weak or stupid," she crooned, swallowing past the lump in her throat when Charmander twisted to bury its face in her chest. It was so small, it couldn't have been more than a few months old! How dare that monster hurt a Pokemon, especially such a young and impressionable one as Charmander! Hell, it might have imprinted on that bastard… "You deserve better than Damien. You are a good Pokemon, you did nothing wrong, okay?"

"Char," it warbled despairingly, and Pikachu slid down from Ash's shoulder to nuzzle the Fire type. After a moment's thought, she released Titania and Alto. Both girls took one look at the scene and immediately set to comforting the crying Charmander, with gentle humming and soothing ribbons that embraced it.

It took almost an hour for Charmander to cry itself to sleep, while Nurse Joy called Officer Jenny and gave a somber lecture to all the trainers in the Pokemon Center about taking care of their Pokemon. Brock, for once not chasing after Joy, made some special food for Charmander to help it recover. It managed to eat a small bowlful before finally slipping back into an exhausted and much-needed nap.

He was shaken and angry from seeing Pokemon abuse up close and personal, and the same went for Misty. Both took the time to cuddle and soothe Charmander, who allowed it from either desperation or apathy. But at the end of it, Charmander made its way back to Ash, curling up in the girl's lap and whimpering until Pikachu, Titania, and Alto snuggled up to it and lavished it with affection.

That was how Officer Jenny found them when she arrived, after the storm had died down. After gently but firmly telling Ash and Charmander that she needed to take photographs of Charmander's state for evidence, the woman offered Charmander a Poffin before squaring her shoulders and following Joy to where Damien and his group were being held. Everyone present knew that they'd be in deep trouble, from the look in the policewoman's eyes.

Ash took the time to call Professor Oak, subdued as she explained what happened and carefully showed him the sleeping Charmander. Samuel's anger was obvious, and so was his grief. Mid-way through the call, Officer Jenny approached, and asked if he would take charge of Charmander's care.

" _Charmander is still very young, and has likely already attached itself to Ash and her Pokemon after such a traumatic experience,"_ he explained, _"and as I know her very well, I will authorize Ash to carry it as a non-battling Pokemon to rehabilitate. She's very well-educated and I taught her quite a bit myself, so I have confidence she can provide and care for Charmander properly."_

"No protests here," Jenny inclined her head in respect. "I'll make sure you get a copy of the medical report. Miss Ketchum, thank you for helping Charmander. Well, as I have some criminals to lock up, I'll be off. Take care."

With that, she left, and Ash turned back to the screen.

"I'll take good care of Charmander," she vowed.

" _I know you will. Now then, I'll need you to write up a report of what happened and what you've noticed about Charmander's health and mannerisms so far, and we'll need to develop a special diet to help its recovery_ _－_ _"_

XxXxX

"I'm afraid that the accumulated damage Charmander has suffered from Damien's abuse is permanent. Charmander will be unable to battle for the rest of his life, and he won't be able to evolve. The complications would kill him at best, and make life torture at worst. I'll give you an Everstone pendant, please make sure he wears it. As for his dietary needs, he will require a significant increase in protein, vitamins－"


	7. Chapter 7

Ash was relieved that her team took so well to Charmander. They treated him like the second baby of their little family, and Houndour was happy to play the part of big brother to his fellow Fire type. They were very understanding about Charmander being unable to battle, and spent their time with him either cuddling or getting him involved in games. Titania and Alto babied him the most, and Ash was pretty sure Alto had appointed herself his new mother.

As for Charmander himself, it took him three weeks to realize that Ash wasn't going to abandon him, that she didn't think he was useless. However, being told that for health reasons he couldn't battle or evolve was extremely difficult for him, and he was very depressed about it. Ash made sure to keep telling him that there would be other things he could do, that she loved him anyways, but it would be a long time before Charmander would be able to accept the life fate had dealt him.

Meanwhile, Ash spent more and more time and attention towards training her team and making sure Charmander was at least physically recovering. Misty and Brock understood to an extent, but within a few weeks grew tired of traveling with someone they hardly spoke with. They parted ways from her two weeks out from Vermilion, on good terms if not close. They did exchange addresses, though (Ash gave them Professor Oak's, as there was no other 'home' left to her), and Ash saw them off with a smile and waved until they were out of view.

Now she was finally, _finally_ free of human company. Relieved, she focused on her upcoming Gym match at Vermilion. She'd been hesitant to tell Charmander, but Oberon spilled the beans and turned a potentially bad situation into the greatest progress Charmander had made yet.

Oberon asked Charmander to cheer for whoever battled, insisting that they could win if Charmander was there to support them. That gave the little Fire type a purpose he clung to, and he began to breathe bursts of Embers when they trained, calling out praises and encouragement. His efforts made an obvious difference, with the team improving in leaps and bound so as not to disappoint their newest brother. The night before they would arrive at Vermilion, Ash glanced around the camp, taking in how much her family had grown.

Oberon, while still a prankster, was beginning to come into his own as one of the team's leaders. He was smart and diplomatic when necessary, able to lift the mood when things got dark or the others became discouraged. He had mastered Protect and Shadow Ball, and improved his control over his psychic abilities to an extent that rivaled his queen's.

Titania, ever the monarch of the team, had learned to relax around her 'subjects', caring for them deeply, almost as much as she cared for Ash. She defended the others with a ferocity no one would ever think to expect from such a delicate-looking Pokemon. Her word was law, and the others respected her wisdom and incredible control, her greatest strength. Recently having mastered Protect and Draining Kiss, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Pikachu, her official starter and partner, had opened up from the sullen Pokemon she'd first met to become one of her best friends. He was witty and mischievous, always by her side, a friend to all the team. He was her ambassador and translator when it came to wild Pokemon, the welcoming committee to new teammates and friends. He was quick-witted and quick-footed, a menace on the battlefield. He'd mastered Iron Tail and Thunderbolt, and was almost finished perfecting Electro Ball, and still he pushed to improve.

Alto, easily taking on the role of surrogate mother to any who would let her, was a pillar of emotional strength and support for the entire team. Her gentle nature, combined with her sweet voice, enabled her to comfort the others and help them relax when things got stressful. Ash could not even begin to describe her love and appreciation for the bird. Her wings were open to any who needed a soft embrace, and yet those same wings could cut down trees in battle with ease. Should any Pokemon seek to harm her flock, she would not hesitate to destroy them. Having mastered Steel Wing and Perish Song, Alto was no slouch when it came to training, and could KO an opponent while humming a lively tune to herself.

Houndour, her lovable goofball, the 'middle child' of the team. He was energetic and optimistic, something the team had needed quite a few times. The first to wake and last to finish training, he was never too tired for cuddling or playing. He was Ash's snuggle-buddy at night, unreserved with his affection and friendliness. If you were having a bad day, Houndour was the one who rushed over to cheer you up. His friendliness didn't stop him from learning and mastering Fire Fang and Foul Play, though, and he was always up for a good battle.

And finally Charmander, sweet and still-timid Charmander who cheered his teammates on with everything he had. He couldn't battle but he sought to make up for it by being whatever the others needed; a helper, someone to encourage them through training, a friend, a brother… he earned the semi-joking title 'Assistant Coach', and was proud of it. He still had trust issues, and nightmares, but his body was healing. His scales were already regaining their natural, vibrant orange instead of dull, grayish umber, and his slate blue eyes sparkled with life now that he was loved and cared for. To Ash, there could be no better result from the situation; he was healing, and he was learning what happiness was.

She watched, smiling, as Charmander sprawled out over Houndour, sharing body heat in the crisp evening air. Alto fluttered between them and Titania, chirping lazily as they conversed. Pikachu and Oberon were playing some sort of game that involved stacking twigs in increasingly unstable formations and flicking leaves at them, cackling when the structures collapsed and scratching out a tally of points; Ash didn't understand the scoring system, and had a feeling she never would.

It was peaceful, everyone was relaxed after a few rounds of song with both ocarina and singing (and not just Alto, everyone had joined in with gusto if not skill or ability to understand pitch), and Ash had the sudden thought that she was home.

XxXxX

"Hang in there, Rattata!"

Ash stared as the young trainer sprinted past her into the Pokemon Center, teary-eyed and cradling an unconscious rodent covered in electrical burns. Narrowing her eyes, she shared a glance with Pikachu and Oberon, each hanging off a shoulder, and followed the boy. She waited until a resigned Nurse Joy had taken the boy's Rattata to the back, having noted all the other trainers in similar situations, before approaching him.

"Did Lt. Surge do that?" She asked lowly, sinking into the seat next to the boy. He jerked, looking up at her with watery green eyes.

The boy nodded slowly. "His Raichu took out Rattata with one attack, but then he kept smacking him around! It was horrible, I couldn't do anything…!"

"That was unnecessary and cruel of him." Ash reached out to pat his shoulder, thinking quickly. "I won't say anything about your decision to challenge such a strong Gym Leader, but a word of advice; if you're ever in a situation like that again, recall your Pokemon to prevent farther damage from being inflicted. The Pokeball will also keep your Pokemon in stasis, so they won't be in pain."

The boy's eyes widened as he realized his oversight before he slumped. "Oh… I hadn't thought of that…"

"We all have our moments," she reassured him absently. If Surge was being this hard on his challengers, beginners no less, she needed to rethink her strategy. He was a tough Gym Leader, of course, but this sort of viciousness was far out of the norm even for him, from what information she'd gathered. It didn't make sense for him to suddenly go power-crazy on obvious new trainers. "Why _did_ you challenge Surge? You don't look like you've been a trainer that long…"

"It's the tickets he's giving out to people who beat him," the boy explained, sullen now that everything was beginning to sink in. "They're for a cruise on the SS Anne, and there's supposed to be a lot of rare prizes for the competition that will be held during the trip…"

A luxury cruise ship would certainly have rare, expensive prizes, and that kind of opportunity would make most trainers at least give it their best shot at obtaining a ticket. It also explained why Surge was suddenly destroying his challengers rather than just defeating them. Frowning, Ash reconsidered her next move for a long moment, but then shook her head. She turned back to the boy.

"I'm sure it was tempting, but just remember to consider your Pokemon's abilities and weaknesses. An unevolved Rattata would usually have a hard time against anyone's Raichu, much less a Gym Leader's like Surge," Ash scolded gently. Better to have the boy suffer a crushing defeat now and learn a hard lesson from his partner's pain than him overestimating his ability and ending up with a dead Pokemon. "You'll have more chances to travel and compete, alright? Take it easy for a bit and plan out your next move."

With that, she got up and left the Pokemon Center, not noticing the newly-determined look in the boy's eyes, or that she had earned herself an admirer. She'd probably need to sign up for a time slot to challenge Surge, with what the tickets and all.

XxXxX

Ash walked back up to the Gym's entrance and settled in line two days after she'd booked her challenge; there were two, one for those with appointments and one for those wanting to schedule one. On her left shoulder, Pikachu casually glanced around, taking in small details most would never notice. On her right shoulder, Charmander clung, looking around curiously. Ignoring the smirks and scoffs she was getting from the rest of the challengers and Gym trainers－just because she was the shortest!－she focused on her strategy.

She'd observed several battles yesterday and discovered Surge's biggest flaw; he preferred power over speed, and had evolved his Pikachu into Raichu immediately. Raichu was a beast, to be certain, and one hit would definitely knock Pikachu out cold, but that was only if he could hit her partner. The same went for Surge's Voltorb and Magneton. They were strong, but they lacked even the mobility Raichu had, and would be hard pressed to land a hit on Pikachu.

And Pikachu was very, very good at not getting hit.

With a mastery of Agility that most Pokemon could never hope to achieve, he could turn on a coin at full speed and vanish from sight. Even Oberon, who specialized in sensing the location of an opponent's mind rather than tracking them with his eyes, had a hard time keeping up with Pikachu's speed. Ash was relying on that ability, had built her strategy around it. Pikachu's speed would enable him to land a dizzying number of blows with Iron Tail and Quick Attack, making up for the power difference with the number of hits.

Since she was a new trainer, the Gym trainers had laughed at her and put her down for a one-on-one battle. That suited her fine; it would be higher stakes, of course, but ultimately an easier battle to win because it would have her undivided attention. Absently patting Charmander's snout, grinning to herself when he snapped playfully at her fingers, she followed the line. It wasn't that long of a wait, as defeated Challengers kept running out of the building every few minutes.

When she made it to the front, she made sure her face didn't show her surprise when Surge stepped out behind the defeated challenger, a sneer on his lips. She'd heard he was tall, but… Surge was _massive_. His Raichu sat atop his shoulders comfortably, as her Pikachu did her own shoulders, and it didn't look out of place. She barely came up to the man's waist. He must have been at least seven feet tall.

 _Holy shit,_ she thought. 

"Tch. Alright, what weakling am I gonna pound into the ground next?" The blond giant barked, causing most trainers in line to flinch back.

"I'm going to make you eat those words," she said by way of announcement, steeling herself when he glanced down at her with that intimidating sneer. Ignoring it, she met his gaze coolly. "Shall we get on with it?"

He laughed in her face. "Aw, look, the baby runt's got an attitude! I'm gonna _crush_ it."

It was a goad, an obvious one, just like the cackle Raichu aimed at Pikachu. Her starter, bless him, didn't even change his expression, totally disregarding his likely opponent in favor of yawning. It had the desired effect; Raichu hissed, riling itself up at the perceived insult. Perfect; she already had the advantage.

Ash just started into the Gym, although Surge's height meant that it only took him two steps to take the lead. He glanced back at her once, and she could have sworn she saw faint amusement in his eyes before the arrogant expression came back. She didn't dwell on it much; if a portion of his demeanor was currently exaggerated because of those tickets he was supposedly giving out, he probably didn't get many challengers who met his gaze dead on and didn't back down.

Regardless, she was here to earn the Thunder Badge, and nothing else mattered. Ignoring the snickering (and a few concerned croons from some females in the crowd) in the background from the Gym trainers and observers at her obvious young age and short stature, she went directly to the challenger's box, Pokemon slipping down to the ground to wait for Surge to get to his own. A scowling referee rattled off the rules for the match, then told them to choose their Pokemon.

"Go time, Pikachu," she murmured, her partner's sensitive ear's twitching in reply as he jumped onto the plain dirt field. The Gym was more like a plain warehouse than anything, with a balcony halfway up for the 'stands', but that was fine. It gave Pikachu a lot of room to maneuver and no obstacles to slow him down.

"Hah! Still haven't evolved your baby Pikachu? What a waste. Raichu, get out there and show them what _real_ power is!"

"Rai!" The Electric type grinned nastily, beady eyes narrowed at its pre-evolution. Its cheeks sparked threateningly.

Charmander leaned into her leg, and she spared a moment to smile at him. "Cheer us on, okay?" The Fire type nodded and turned to the field. Doing the same, Ash focused on the pending battle.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Gym Leader Surge and Challenger Ashka Ketchum! The battle will end when one side's Pokemon is unable to battle. Ready… Begin!"

"Move 9!" Ash called, purposely raising her voice enough to be heard throughout the whole Gym. She'd worked on her plan with Pikachu the last few days; the command meant to slip into his sustained Agility/Quick Attack technique (at a lower speed than normal, though still impossibly fast) and start with nine points of contact with the surface of the field. It would confuse low level opponents, and give high-level opponents both a test and a 'pattern' they would then be tempted to memorize. If they did that, Ash would either shift gears into more contact points (and thus a new 'pattern) or use whatever information she'd gathered from their opponents' reaction to the strategy. It would throw them off guard either way.

Pikachu obeyed without a word, vanishing in a blur of yellow and black, clouds of dust exploding off the ground where his paws connected and he changed directions. Raichu let out a shocked cry, vainly trying to pinpoint Pikachu's location. Judging from Surge's face, he had not been expecting anything on this level.

 _Good_. There was more where that came from.

"Electric Terrain!" Surge snapped, instantly dropping the verbal discouragement tactics he'd used in the battles Ash had watched previously. "Dig, get it unstable!"

A risky gamble, Ash mused as she waited for Raichu to carry out the commands. Electric Terrain would power up all Electric types and moves, but it would also give Raichu better accuracy and force behind wide-spread attacks. Using Dig was a nice touch; unstable ground would trip up almost any speed-reliant Pokemon. A good counter to Pikachu's speed, but ultimately useless. Pikachu had trained on loose sand and gravel and a bit of ground giving way would be nothing. Pikachu would be gone by the time the tunnels caved in. It certainly looked impressive, though. Maybe she should teach it to Pikachu…

Ash couldn't help the slow smile spreading across her face as the battlefield began to collapse in several spots, flickers of yellow dancing across newly-uneven ground, unhindered. Surge grit his teeth, eyes not even attempting to track Pikachu's unbelievable speed. When Raichu surfaced, she tilted her head as if amused.

"Siege, Pikachu," she commanded, voice clear and calm but her eyes bright.

"Pika!" He replied with a disproportionate amount of glee, cackling as Iron Tails began to bombard Raichu from every conceivable direction and several inconceivable ones. Silver light flickered from countless spots on the battlefield as Pikachu relied more on Quick Attack for bursts of speed to further power his Iron Tails. Through it all, Raichu was knocked silly, tumbling over itself as it was attacked from all directions. Its naturally low defense failed it quickly, and Ash made her final command.

"Finale."

A blast of air and silver light, and the helpless Raichu was sent flying into the back wall, a small crater appearing in the concrete. Pikachu appeared in front of Ash, panting, but eyes never leaving his opponent until it slid to the ground, unconscious.

All of this took place in less than two minutes.

There was a long moment of stunned silence, and then Surge started to roar with laughter, a great booming sound that echoed slightly from the metal walls. He returned his Raichu to its Pokeball with a grin and gruff thanks, the device appearing like a child's toy in his large hands. Ash was certain that she would never get over just how tall Lt. Surge was.

"Not bad, kid!" Surge strode forwards, waving the ref over, and held his hand out and down. Ash shook it without hesitation, although mildly concerned with the way her hand seemed to vanish within his. He was gentle, though, which kept her at ease. "That Pikachu of yours is something else, that kind of speed could take on my main team without much trouble."

"He works hard," she replied with a respectful nod, grinning when Pikachu finished celebrating with Charmander and jumped up onto her shoulder. He chirped at her, nuzzling her face, and then motioned for Charmander to climb up too.

"You've done a phenomenal job training him. You've got the skills to make it big, kid, so keep that momentum going. Here, you've more than earned this Thunder Badge," Surge said as he took the metal pin from the ref and dropped in her hand, and then handed her a folded piece of stiff paper－a ticket, she realized. "Come back once you've gotten all your badges, I know you'll be a good opponent for my main team. But don't think it'll be nearly as quick as this time! Now that you've proven you can back up your talk, the kiddie gloves are coming off."

Nodding in agreement with a slight grin, Ash promised herself she would do so. A proper battle between them would be the perfect preparation for the League. Although… what, exactly, did Surge consider 'kiddie gloves'?

Pleased with the win, she expressed her thanks for the battle and ticket, endured a toned-down pat on the back that still almost knocked her over, and traded a few words with Surge's Gym trainers who saw her match before going back to the Pokemon Center. Making sure Pikachu got a bottle of ketchup as a reward for a flawless victory, she fed her team and briefed them on the new plan now that she had the Thunder Badge.

The SS Anne was set to depart the upcoming weekend, so they had four days to resupply, train, and hammer out a new route. The cruise ship would stop by Cinnabar Islands (where Ash would have to get off, as she didn't have a passport) before continuing on to Johto. The Cinnabar Island Gym was a difficult one, and not only because its Leader was a Fire type Master. Blaine had moved his Gym after a year-long stunt of beating every single challenger, so that 'only the real trainers' would be able to find it. But Ash had done her research, and had a few contacts via online forums that hinted at its location. Her Pokemon would have difficulty getting through Blaine's powerhouses, but it was within their current abilities.

After that, she'd have to pay for a ferry ticket to get back to the mainland, and she'd head for Saffron. She planned to go to Celadon City next, then Fuchsia City. Since the Safari Zone was right outside of Fuchsia, she would check it out before heading back to Viridian to challenge the most powerful Gym in Kanto. By then, she was certain she would be able to win, so long as she made sure to train her team properly and perfect her strategies.

There was a lot to do, but she would get it done. She always did.

 _She already had,_ that older voice whispered, frustrated. And yet again, she ignored it.


	8. Chapter 8

The SS Anne was a magnificent example of the whims of the wealthy. Or their folly, Ash really couldn't be sure. The entire ship gave her the creeps despite its elegant beauty, which was why she had worked so hard to convince Charmander that she was worried about being over the ocean and get him transferred to Professor Oak for the duration of the cruise. Every nerve in her body was on fire with tension, and she refused to let the most vulnerable of her Pokemon be put at risk. The rest of them were strong enough to take care of themselves and each other.

Charmander had been upset, but he must have seen the fear in her eyes because he allowed himself to be sent over, after much cuddling. She'd just given Samuel _the look_ and he hadn't questioned her about the decision, instead reminding her to check in whenever possible and to take care.

Boarding the ship had sent a wave of foreboding crashing over her, but at the same time a sense of irritable resignation. She was supposed to be here, regardless of what ended up happening. Making her way to the room assigned to her by the ticket, she stayed there until the ship set sail. Oberon, sensing her emotions with ease, insisted on staying outside his Pokeball with Pikachu when she did finally decide to explore the ship. Not that she minded; she would rather have all her Pokemon out, but on such a crowded ship it was a recipe for disaster. She'd have to rotate.

Passengers had already begun to flock to the fancy mall-like setup on the main floor, with several warm-up competitions already in progress. Interested, but refraining in case there were people intent on joining the official tournament watching, she skirted the makeshift battlefields and browsed the shops. The sheer amount of people in floor-length dresses and suits unnerved her, and while she wasn't one who particularly cared, she had the feeling it would be better not to stand out too much. Her clothes were ragged and worn anyways, and it wasn't like she was averse to having something nice to wear should she need it.

Glancing down at her tattered jeans and vest, her shirt faded from long hours in the sun, Ash winced and asked her psychic friend to find somewhere she could afford to shop at.

Oberon led the way to one of the few shops that wasn't terrifyingly expensive, probably aimed at getting the on board trainers into less grungy outfits. The employees were happy to help her choose something 'fetching' (whatever the hell _that_ meant). She ended up forced into a white dress shirt with ruffles on the neck and vaguely kimono-like long sleeves, and on either side of the row of buttons, tucked into a high-waisted, navy blue, pleated skirt that was tight on her waist and flared out from her hips. It stopped at mid-thigh, and she was infinitely grateful for the black leggings (white diamond shapes running down the outer sides) and matching blue boots with very low heels. With a grimace, she admitted that her hat was out of place, and returned it to the safety of her bag, which was now tucked inside another _nicer_ looking black backpack.

Oberon was laughing at her, the brat.

Pikachu joined him once the ladies in the shop started squealing about how much 'cuter' she looked in the dress, and they descended upon her like a flock of Spearow with hairbrushes and a variety of other… products… Luckily they only insisted on a simple blue and white Pokeball-shaped hairclip to tame her bangs to one side. After paying a distressing amount of money and expressing semi-sincere thanks, Ash made her escape from the store, now satisfied that she didn't stick out as much. Although, Gary would probably choke on his spit if he could see her now.

"Pika?"

She ruffled his ears, leaning down a bit to brush a hand down Oberon's spine. "Don't worry about it," she said, resettling her new bag as she looked around. "Despite my usual disdain for clothes shopping, I _am_ a girl, so this does happen occasionally."

Oberon snorted, and she nudged his stomach with her calf, ignoring that he just laughed harder. Brat. With a sigh, she set to exploring the rest of the ship, keeping a close eye on a growing number of employees that were looking a little too closely at people's Pokemon. Suspicious. Resolving to keep her guard up, Ash scooped her Espeon into her arms, just in case. Her friends were too precious to risk.

Despite her wariness, the sheer size of the ship kept her occupied until dinner, and she entered the dining hall satisfied with her knowledge of the ship's layout. Seeing an area where trainers could sit and eat with their teams, she hurried to grab one of those tables and released her own.

"Syl… syl! Sylve veon," Titania crooned approvingly as she looked her trainer over, ribbons gracefully brushing the cloth of Ash's new outfit. Alto hummed in agreement, cloud-like wings outstretched to feel the soft fabric. Even Houndour paused to admire the change, making his trainer a little self conscious. She rather liked her typical travel wear, thanks.

As if sensing her thoughts, Pikachu sent her a dry look that conveyed what was probably a jab at her androgynous preference in clothing. Like a mature trainer, she stuck out her tongue at him and rolled her eyes before ordering food for them from a waiter with a pleasant smile and none of the unsettling gleam she'd spotted in others around the ship. It was just as they were finishing their meal that he spotted her.

"Well, if it isn't Ashy-girl," Gary smirked as he dropped into the chair closest to her, eyeing her outfit. "And what on earth are you wearing?"

"I'm trying to blend in," she replied, speaking slowly as if to a small child. "Most of the trainers here for the tournament will be looking for other, obvious trainers to spy on beforehand; wearing this kind of thing, my team passes as a rich brat's collection of pets. It's just keeping my cards close, Gary."

Green eyes brightened even as he scowled at her tone. "Not a bad idea, Ashy-girl, but that won't help you beat me. I'll be the one claiming first place and that prize."

Ash shrugged, before her eyes dimmed a bit. She hadn't spoken to her friend like this in months, maybe a year or two. While she was happy he hadn't immediately launched into his whole 'rival' thing, she was still hurt by the way he'd pushed her off for so long.

"So, this your team? Where the hell did you get a Swablu?" He demanded, leaning to get a better look at her Pokemon. "And a Houndour, what the hell Ash?"

"I got lucky in Viridian Forest, Alto was trying to shake off a Scyther that I ended up catching and trading for Houndour. _Bugsy_ had been looking for it, he had Houndour ready to go if someone caught that bug before he got there. Since Scyther was kind of a loose canon, I was more than happy to get my boy here, isn't that right Houndour?" Houndour's tongue lolled as he yipped happily in agreement, leaning against her leg and sliding down to rest his head on her shoe. "Dork. What about you? How's Umbreon and Vera?"

"They're doing great, kicking ass all the time. I've been rotating my team since I've caught so many Pokemon." Ah, there was the bragging. "You don't even have a full team yet? What have you even been _doing_?"

Ash paused, thoughts on her only absent Pokemon. "I've got a rescue I've been working with, you can talk to your grandpa about him. He's needed a lot of my attention so I'm not really keen on adding to the team right now."

"That Charmander, right? Don't give me that look, I _do_ call home every now and then," Gary scowled, slouching a bit. His eyes narrowed. "Makes sense. Gramps told me a bit. If I ever see that Damien guy I'm gonna deck him."

"Please do, I didn't get the chance," she muttered darkly. "I sent Charmander to the lab until we're not over the open ocean… Gary, I've got a bad feeling about this cruise."

He eyed her carefully. While he'd focused on the while rival deal lately, he knew her enough to take her premonitions seriously, as they'd never let her down before. The fact that he still trusted her weird ability so easily had her relaxing slightly. "How so?"

"Something big is gonna happen," she murmured, gaze falling to her team, who were chattering to each other and looking around the extravagantly decorated room as they ate. "And some of the waiters and employees here are looking a little too close at the Pokemon on board. Whatever is going down, these people have connections on the inside, and it's not gonna be pretty. Just be on your guard, okay? And keep an eye on your stuff."

"Did you tell Gramps?"

"... No, not yet. I wasn't really sure until I'd explored a bit and kept noticing more, and by then we'd already set sail," she replied. It was only a bit of a lie, but she couldn't exactly tell Samuel 'hey, fate wants me on a ship that is going to be involved in something sketchy, see you when we land' or he'd have had Alakazam drag her back to Pallet. "I'd rather you mention it anyways, I still don't… I can't figure out what it is," she hissed, frustrated. "I know all these stupid, vague things and they hardly ever make _sense_."

"Easy, Ashy-girl." Gary gently bumped her shoulder with his. "If something's up, we'll fix it. I'll call Gramps in a bit, since it doesn't seem to be immediate, right?" When she nodded, he retreated back to his own chair, waving down someone to order his own meal. When the guy left, he glanced back at her, thoughtful. "… That power of yours really bothers you, doesn't it?"

Ash snorted. "It can be useful, but mostly it's infuriating. What's worse is that I know I'm going to keep needing it, and that it's somehow important to _something._ It's a lot of _deja vu_ and being irritated with what feels like redundant events. But I guess I do like having it. We wouldn't have our first partners without it."

"True that."

XxXxX

The ship was sinking.

Ash swore to herself even as she frantically grabbed people and started shoving them in the right direction, voice raised to direct them to the deck and the lifeboats. She couldn't find Gary, there were Rockets _everywhere_ , and she'd come across nearly a dozen dead bodies－trainers who had been punished for trying to fight the Rocket grunts. She didn't let herself think about them.

There was water already lapping at her shoes, but the crowd had finally made it to the deck. She couldn't take the time to check for stragglers, the water was rising too quickly, and she couldn't hear anyone else. If they weren't running, they wouldn't make it anyways. The ship rocked to the side, sending Ash stumbling into the wall, and she hissed.

"Let's go, Pikachu," she said, checking her trainer belt once more to ensure the rest of her team was secure on it. The Electric type clutched her jacket tight, tense as his trainer made her way up to the deck. Lightning flashed in the storm, and they were soaked to the bone in a heartbeat. Squinting, Ash tried to make out the scene. People were still swarming into the lifeboats, a handful already in the water and struggling to escape the Rocket helicopters. The roar of the storm and screams were overpowering whatever other sounds might have been echoing across the rolling sea.

She still didn't see Gary.

And then it didn't matter, because cold, _freezing_ icy blue psychic power flooded the sky, screeching and crackling down in a pillar headed straight for the ship, and then everything was gone.

XxXxX

"－more survivors, one hundred and sixty-three still unaccounted for," came through the radio, and Emmett Surge fought the urge to bury his face in his hands. His boat was off the coast, following the flow of the current from where the SS Anne had sunk, trying to find any other survivors. They had found _some_ of them－there'd been far, far more of the dead－but it was the missing ones that got to him. As a soldier, he'd never left his comrades behind; family would either get their soldier back, or they would get a body to bury.

He grit his teeth and eyed the ocean. He'd sent nearly two dozen trainers onto that ship, with those damned tickets. He was a Gym Leader, he should have known if there was Rocket activity going on in the docks (in _his_ city), should have put a stop to it. Now, hundreds of people and Pokemon were dead and/or missing.

Even that tiny little beast of a trainer, the girl with the Pikachu.

He'd heard the Oak kid screaming her name when they found him, delirious, dehydrated, and still trying to find her. Surge had told that girl she would go far; now she was likely at the bottom of the ocean. It had been a week, and none of the scouts they'd sent flying had seen anymore straggling survivors or bodies, so they were doing one last check of the few islands off the coast to see if anyone had washed ashore.

They'd had the barest of warnings, and the League hadn't been fast enough to prevent the attack. The Oak kid had called the professor, saying that he and Ash thought there was something off about the boat, possible Pokemon thieves disguised as crew members and other employees. An attack was just logic, with the ship so isolated. No one had expected it to be Rockets. No one had expected those terrorists to have a weapon that could obliterate such a massive ship.

"Last island, sir!"

"Send the scouts," Surge yelled back, straightening from where he'd been leaning on the rails. A few moments later, five Pidgeot cawed and flew towards the island. He watched their movements carefully as their forms grew small with distance, eyes narrowing when they faltered before beginning to circle. "Looks like we got one, get the medics on the deck!"

He would be lying if he said he hadn't been affected when he recognized the unconscious girl and her Pikachu, a wave of relief－ _one less dead, he didn't fail this kid, she was alive_ －but he had enough experience with this sort of thing to focus on getting her back to the city. She was in bad shape; sunburned, dehydrated, wounds from debris, a high fever, and major blood loss. She needed to be hospitalized, but she lived.

Somehow, she lived.


	9. Chapter 9

The first thing that Ash became aware of, slow as it came, was the dull ache that made her whole body protest. The next was her raspy breathing, throat dry and every inhale hurting. Throbbing pressure behind her closed eyes was next, and then a faint ringing in her ears. Then the beeping, and the faint smell of rubbing alcohol. The last was a small number of warm bodies pressed against her legs and hips, and one curled between her neck and shoulder.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking furiously even as her eyes watered from both pain and the bright light she found herself staring up into. Once her eyes adjusted, she let her gaze wander without moving her head. A hospital room… _the SS Anne. The attack, that psychic blast and… Gary. Where was Gary?_

The beeping sped up alongside her welling panic, and in an instant a nurse was in the room.

"Miss Ketchum, everything will be alright. I'm gonna need you to breathe for me, okay?"

The woman coached her through some deep breathing exercises, expertly calming both Ash and her Pokemon, who'd been sprawled across her lower body, with Pikachu having claimed the single available spot in the crook of her neck. Once Ash's heart rate had dropped to acceptable levels, the nurse checked her over.

"I was told to let you know that your friend, Gary Oak, was recovered four days before you were and has already been released from the hospital," the nurse said gently, smiling when Ash slumped in relief. "As for you, you'll be here a while yet. You had to get twenty stitches after we extracted shards of metal and wood from your torso, and you were unconscious while exposed to the elements for about a week. Do you have any questions?"

Ash's thoughts flashed back to the psychic blast. No normal Pokemon would have that amount of power, unless it was a Legendary. If Team Rocket had gotten their hands on one….

"The attack," she croaked, and paused when the nurse reached over her bed to pour a cup of water. The nurse adjusted the head of the bed so she could sit up, and helped her drink. "I need to report… they used a Pokemon, a Psychic type… just one, it sank the entire ship…"

"Espe," Oberon hissed at the reminder, hackles raised. He must have sensed it, even inside his Pokeball, and if that didn't speak of the mystery Pokemon's power, Ash didn't know what would. Houndour shuffled closer to Ash, and she beckoned him closer to cuddle. He didn't waste a moment in complying, shivering slightly.

The nurse, looking troubled by the information, just nodded. "I'll let Officer Jenny know, she'll probably come by later to take a statement. If that's all for now, you need to rest. We were authorized to use Ditto cells to aid in your recovery, so you need to let your body finish catching up with the repairs."

Ash nodded slowly, still a little shocked. If she'd been inured bad enough to require Ditto cells… it must have been whatever shrapnel had hit her during the blast and its aftermath. Wincing, she leaned back against the pillows, taking a few minutes to soothe her team. They'd obviously been worried, and Titania hissed lowly at anyone who entered the room for the next hour or so. Alto settled at her feet to hum lowly, trying to get Ash to sleep a bit. But the young trainer could only allow herself to after she'd thoroughly checked over her Pokemon－Pikachu in particular. He'd been almost as beaten up as she had been, since he hadn't been inside his Pokeball.

But eventually, she was satisfied with their health, and drifted off with her team tucked against her limbs.

XxXxX

 _Oh boy_ , Ash thought as Lt. Surge entered her hospital room, serious and tense. He sat down in the one chair by the bed, the furniture looking hilariously tiny compared to him, and dropped a Pokeball into her lap.

"Your Charmander," he said gruffly. "Oak sent it over, it's been worried about you."

Immediately letting him out, she steeled herself for impact as Charmander threw himself at her, warbling out something between a heavy scolding and relieved sobs. Gently rubbing his scales, she hugged her youngest Pokemon, shifting so the rest of the team could better get to him as well, grinning when Alto immediately wrapped him in her fluffy wings.

"I'm fine," she reassured him, "Everything's gonna be fine. Thank you," she directed at the Gym Leader, who was watching her with the hint of a lopsided smile. "I wasn't sure if the nurses would let me get up to use a transporter…"

"I figured." Surge heaved out a sigh, before straightening. "Let's get this part over with, you said you had something to report about the attack?"

Ash shivered against her will at the memory. "I… yes, the blast that finished sinking the ship. It was psychic. Just one Pokemon, with enough psychic power to cause that much damage… it felt cold. The power, it was like ice, pale blue and… I don't know, it was just terrifying. But I just wanted to make sure the League knew. If the Rockets have a Pokemon that strong…"

She didn't say that it was familiar, because it was only so in that strange way she knew things, but… she was supposed to know what that Pokemon was. Supposed to. But she didn't, not yet.

"Well, fuck." Surge scowled, face grim. "Good call on wanting to report that."

Ash didn't blame the man for his clipped response. This was a bad situation, and had the potential to get worse.

XxXxX

Ash was tired.

It was a good tired, in a way, the satisfied and boneless type people get after a long, hard round of exercise. But it was also an _annoying_ tired, because despite Surge's best efforts to pummel her into the padded flooring of his workout room, he was somehow treating her like glass at the same time.

It was the week after she'd been released from the hospital, and Vermilion's Gym Leader had insisted she stay with him while she finished recovering. And then he'd insisted on teaching her some basic self-defense (it wasn't basic, nothing about this fucking boot camp was basic, thank _Arceus_ she'd already been working out and doing those stretches to make her more flexible) once she was back on her feet.

Oberon was laughing at her again. Ash felt a disproportionate amount of satisfaction when Titania used her ribbons to slam him against the wall, for being so easily distracted during their spar.

It's not like she wasn't grateful, or that she didn't enjoy learning how to punch someone so hard and in just the right spot that they threw up (Surge also taught her how to avoid getting thrown up _on_ ), because she found herself eager to keep learning more of these _katas_ and styles… but Ash hated being treated delicately (which should have been impossible, given who was training her, but somehow he managed). She was a trainer now, traveling the whole of Kanto with only her team, and that had to count for something, right?

"Up and on your feet, runt!" Surge bellowed with a nasty grin.

With a sigh, she kicked her legs up and out from where she lay flat on her back, the force flinging her into a crouch. She raised her fists back into the 'ready' position Surge had drilled into her, ignoring the blasts of lightening behind her－Raichu was drilling Pikachu on how to increase the power of his attacks. She'd only made the mistake of looking over once, earning herself a black eye because Surge had very clearly telegraphed his intent to punch and had very clearly expected her to be paying attention enough to dodge.

"Good, now come at me again with everything you've got."

Ash wasn't a very powerful hitter. Not normally, at least. She was fast and unpredictable, which worked very well in her favor, and she'd been developing a method of dodging that felt more like turning her body to rubber to avoid hits. It required her to read her opponent carefully for their next movement, and flow around the hit. She thought it worked rather well, although some of the Gym trainers found it hilarious when she wound herself around Surge's arms so much that she was practically clinging to him like a particularly friendly Tangela.

If nothing else, her endurance and flexibility were at an all-time high.

Despite her irritations, Ash truly appreciated the time and effort Surge was putting into not only her, but her team. The man was under no obligation to help her this much, and still he insisted on spending the days training her until she was an inch from total exhaustion. The results were worth the pain and desire to sleep for a month solid on any vaguely horizontal surface.

It was thanks to this rigorous training and the enforced periods of meditation－and that had been a surprise, that the war hero who preferred _doing_ something rather than sitting around actually meditated－that Ash first actively called on her aura.

It had been unnervingly easy. She just fell into the rhythm of the fight, a simple but still intense spar, and her mind had slipped into the same state it did when she meditated. It was as if everything suddenly clicked into place; she could sense everyone in the area, _knew_ what Surge was about to do, and warm power flooded her limbs enough for her to literally throw the giant man clear over her shoulder and nearly two yards away.

After the initial shock, Surge had given her a downright feral grin that was more teeth than anything, and demanded that she do 'whatever that was' as often as possible. Then he'd called Bruno, who only needed to be told that during the throw Ash's body had been covered in a faint blue light to know that it had been aura. The word felt right to Ash, so she took it in stride as instructions for further training were given.

She stayed in Vermilion another week, but as the days passed she became increasingly aware of the travel time slipping away from her. If Alto was evolved, it wouldn't be as big of an issue, but since her current transportation was just her own feet, she couldn't take too much time off from her journey. In fact, she'd have to hurry to stay on track.

Surge understood, and spent their last two days together drilling his expertise on Electric types into her brain. She'd told him about her plan for Pikachu, with Magnet Rise, and after chuckling darkly in approval, he helped her with the details and putting together a training routine to accomplish it.

Ash was a little reluctant to leave, if only because Surge was the first person to take such a hands-on approach to teach her like… well, a father would. A very gruff, electrical, giant maniac of a father. She kept that thought to herself, even when the man swiped her PokeDex to save his contact information "just in case any trouble popped up" that she couldn't handle on her own. It was touching, enough so that she ignored the fact that Surge nearly knocked her over ruffling her hair one last time before he saw her off.

Waving, she wasted no time in booking it out of the city and onto Route 8. Since her original plans had been scrapped by the SS Anne incident, she'd had to map out her new one. Celadon Gym was her next goal, then Fuchsia, then Saffron, _then_ Cinnabar, and then Kanto's strongest Gym, Viridian. With Houndour trotting beside her, Pikachu and Charmander alert on her shoulders, she focused on the road ahead. It would take her at least three days to reach Celadon City, and she needed to re-think her strategy for the Grass-type Gym because her team had grown in leaps and bounds from the 24/7 training with Surge.

Houndour was going to be her main player for this challenge. He'd learned and mastered Flamethrower and Dark Pulse the past two weeks, giving him three Fire, one Poison, one Fighting, and three Dark type moves to work with. His speed and strength were great, his stamina even better, so she'd be sending him in first.

As the Gym Leader, Erika, always did three-on-three battles, she'd debated quite a bit over her other two choices. In the end it came down to Alto and Titania. Alto was blindingly fast in the air, and a shockingly heavy hitter. She was agile, and her move set (which now included Moonblast) would enable her to keep her distance if necessary. And Titania was her strongest, most accurate, most flexible Pokemon. With so many long-range moves, having added Shadow Ball to her repertoire, and a mastery of Protect, she could take down whatever Pokemon were left by the time she got on the field.

The only one on her team with a type advantage was Houndour, but if she played her cards right it hardly mattered.

Choices made, Ash enjoyed being back on the road, letting her entire team out once they were on their own. She hadn't been able to spend much time with them while Surge was training her, so now she made sure to give each of her precious friends some long-overdue attention and care as they traveled. Much to her joy, one day out from Celadon Houndour evolved into a magnificent and _massive_ Houndoom.

He'd just beaten another trainer's Growlithe, the battle having proven just enough to kick his evolution into gear. Now standing five foot at the shoulder, curved horns jutting proudly out of his skull, he howled his victory, newly lengthened tail whipping around him. He was the third of her Pokemon to evolve, and it had been long enough that Ash had pretty much forgotten the sense of awe and joy that came with it.

But he was still her goofy, cuddly buddy. Only now he tried to hide it when they were battling, tossing his head and snarling at his opponents to make himself more intimidating. And then as soon as the battle was over, he'd dart over to his trainer and jump at her in search of praise and affection.

XxXxX

" _Ashka! By Xerneas, it's been way too long! How long had your hair been cut short? It's super cute!"_

Unable and unwilling to stop the smile spreading across her face, Ash let out a soft laugh. Thankful that Celadon's Pokemon Center had video phones in the available rooms for the trainers' privacy, she took in the changes in her friend's appearance, noting with fondness that the years hadn't dimmed her smile any.

"I know, I'm sorry. I don't have one of those fancy cell phones or anything, so I can only make calls from Pokemon Centers. And it's been a few years, I just didn't have the patience to keep up with long hair. Looks like yours is even longer than before! How've you been?"

Losing herself to the conversation, Ash relaxed even more now that she'd finally been able to contact Serena. After weeks of digging, Daisy had finally managed to procure a phone number, only giving it to her after thoroughly scolding Ash about the danger she'd ended up in. Apparently Gary had freaked when they'd been separated on the SS Anne, and while he hadn't been able to stick around Vermilion due to Samuel's Alakazam Teleporting him back home for a few days, he'd been a little frantic trying to confirm that she was indeed alright. But the lecture and extracted promises of excess caution were worth getting to speak to the one person she'd been anxious to talk to.

Serena had really grown up since that summer camp, much more outgoing and no longer afraid of Pokemon. Her mom was training her in Ryhorn racing, but the honey-blonde really didn't want to pursue that career. She wanted to travel, and find her own dream, but Grace wouldn't hear of it until she was at least fifteen.

Ash had to focus on breathing normally at the familiar situation, but managed to offer her friend a smile. She couldn't suggest running away, refused to encourage bridge-burning, but she could support Serena in other ways. "Hang in there. But hey, if you have five extra years to prepare, nothing should be a problem for you. You can take the time to figure out what starter you want, and research stuff around Kalos for ideas when you _are_ able to go on your journey."

" _Yeah, you're right. Maybe we can travel together by then!"_

"We could! My 'big' plan is to do all the League Challenges, you know, use some of the money I earn in each region to get to the next. If I follow the League schedule－they stagger the conferences throughout the year, so I mean using that order－I should be on to Kalos in five years."

" _That's perfect! Mom would be happier if I went with a friend too, and since you'll be so experienced by then it'll be like having a pro journey guide! So what's your team, so far? I don't really know much about Kanto-native Pokemon, are they cute?"_

Laughing at Serena's eagerness, Ash called over her team one by one to introduce them, showing them off and telling her friend about each of them. Serena was very vocal in her approval of all of them, praising Charmander for his 'excellent coaching skills' and announcing her wish of also getting a Sylveon one day. Titania preened at that, vain little thing. Soon enough, Ash was giving Serena the rundown of everything that had happened so far on her journey… Even the fight with her mother, the SS Anne, and discovering her aura.

Serena was horrified to learn of the painful and frightening experiences, but was quick to assure Ash that she was a good person and was going to be an incredible Pokemon Master someday.

Something in Ash's chest loosened, letting her breathe easy. Still, she was pretty much done with the topic, so Serena asked about her badge count.

"I just got the Rainbow Badge this afternoon," Ash reported with mock seriousness. "Houndoom, Alto, and Titania were amazing, they've worked so hard and really showed that in their battles. Erika was impressed. I'm super proud of them. We're heading for Fuchsia City next, I was thinking of checking out the Safari Zone, too."

" _Congrats, Ash! Man, I can't wait till you get here, the next five years are gonna drive me crazy… I can't get a starter unless I'm going to journey within six months…"_

Tilting her head thoughtfully, Ash weighed a few ideas. "You know, I can always ask Professor Oak to transfer a Pokemon to Kalos' Pokemon Professor. You can still take the license exam even if you don't go on a journey immediately, so I could gift you a Pokemon for you to raise at home."

" _Are you for real?! Do you know what you're saying, ohh, you're the absolute best, Ash! I love you! I'll do it, I'll take the exam, I'll love whatever Pokemon you send, oh my_ _－_ _"_

Ash just laughed as her friend practically fell over herself in excitement. She really should have found Serena's number sooner.


	10. Chapter 10

Alto evolved half-way to Fuchsia City, after a long day of training. As an Altaria, she was definitely on the larger side for her species, almost five foot when she stood up straight and a wingspan nearly fourteen feet across when she stretched out fully. Her plumage was glossier than ever, shimmering in any sort of light, and her elegant crest flowed down like a waterfall. She was beautiful and had lost none of her sweet disposition.

Alto was a Dragon type now, and Ash was _giddy_.

Her size meant she could easily fly while carrying Ash, which cut their remaining travel time from two and a half weeks to four days (and that only because Ash didn't have the gear for fast flying).

Flying was incredible. The world spread out below them like a work of art, the clouds above and beside them while Alto soared, and despite the wind chill Ash was instantly addicted to the feeling of the wind and the Altaria's-eye-view. Alto feathers kept her warm, the thick plumage that circled her body helping to keep in heat soaked up from the sun. Pikachu took to burying himself in the fluffy white feathers right behind Alto's neck, much to the Ash and the dragon's amusement.

It was totally worth the shocked exclamations when they landed behind the Pokemon Center, off to the side of the training field. Still giddy from the new experience of flight, Ash slid off her Pokemon's back and happily buried her face in Alto's chest fluff－that was their thing now. Alto crooned at her, nuzzling her face a bit before Ash had to recall her to go inside. His new favorite nap spot out of reach for the moment, Pikachu grumbled but jumped up to her shoulder, pouting slightly. After booking a room, Ash headed to the video phones and dialed the lab's number. Daisy picked up, face brightening.

" _Ashka, Pikachu! I didn't expect to hear from you so soon, did you catch a ride?"_

"Alto evolved," she explained, beaming, pausing for a moment so Pikachu could return the greeting. "She's _fast_." After the initial congratulatory squealing had died down, she outlined her plan. "I'm gonna try to challenge the Gym tomorrow, and then I think I'll spend a week or so checking out the Safari Zone. Now that I've got a flyer I can take the time to explore a bit, but I'll let you know before I head for Saffron."

" _Fliers are great,"_ Daisy nodded agreeably. _"Good luck with your Gym match, Ash. I know I say this every time you call, but you're doing great, and Grandpa and I are so proud of you. This journey has been really good for you, you know? You're happier. And your Pokemon are very lucky to have you as a trainer."_

Suddenly bashful, Ash ducked her head to hide behind the rim of her cap. It wasn't often that Daisy spoke so freely about the serious stuff. The older girl only giggled, chatting for a few more minutes before letting Ash go, although not without one last request (read: order).

" _Don't forget to let me know when you're off to the Safari Zone!"_

XxXxX

Ash had been tempted to go the the Safari Zone directly after earning the Soul Badge (Oberon had done an impressive job against the first two of Koga's Pokemon, and Ash had only switch him out for Pikachu because she wanted to give him a break), but she was fairly certain that Daisy's big sister senses would tattle on her. So she went back to the Pokemon Center, spending the rest of the evening in the open kitchen, baking Poke Puffs and Poffins.

The Safari Zone only allowed trainers to bring one Pokemon for defense, but trainers were allowed to use food to try and lure Pokemon to them. They would have to be submitted individually for testing, of course, but if they were free of any chemicals, drugs, etc, the reception desk would bag them up and let the trainer take them into the reserve. If the trainer would be coming back, they had to leave the treats with the staff until they were re-entering.

A little asking around and Ash had discovered that a new batch of foreign Pokemon had been imported just in the last week, so she ended up baking a ton. She wasn't sure what types of Pokemon she would encounter, so she just over-prepared and decided to take things as they came.

The next morning, she left a message for Daisy and Samuel, and started off towards the Safari Zone. It was less than forty-five minutes outside the city, and it was early enough that no one was outside yet, leaving her and Pikachu to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Eyeing the fenced-off area with anticipation, she checked the sign outside the reception building entrance, smiling to herself when it confirmed that they were already open. Pushing past the front doors, she eyed the lobby. Photos of trainers and the Pokemon they caught in the Safari Zone were plastered onto the walls, between posters of the rules and different tips. There were chairs off to the sides, and a counter straight ahead that a tired-looking man with severely angled eyebrows sat behind, straightening with a yawn once he saw her.

"Morning," she greeted quietly.

"Good morning," the man replied, already rifling through something beneath the counter. "Welcome to the Kanto Safari Zone, where you can catch rare Pokemon from all over the world. How can I help you today?"

"I'd like to buy a full day pass, and I also have some Poke Puffs and Poffins I'd like to bring into the reserve." She handed over the bag she'd put together that held several of each type of treat she'd made, as well as pulling out her PokeDex to use for her ID.

"Alright, I'll take those to the back for testing real quick." The man bustled off through a side door that said 'Employees Only', and Ash's lips twitched when she realized he was shorter standing up than he was sitting on the stool. She felt better about being among the shorter kids in her age group.

It took him a little while to run the tests, but Ash knew she'd brought a lot. She would rather this procedure take all the time it needed than have people able to bring poisoned or drugged food for the Pokemon. Reaching up to scratch Pikachu beneath his chin, she looked over the map on the wall. The Safari Zone was split into four main areas, with the ones farthest from the entrance rumored to host the rarest Pokemon. Which made sense, but Ash wasn't going to rush. She had time.

"These are all cleared to take with you," the man's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she took the bag back with a nod of thanks. "Now, you will only be allowed to take one Pokemon for self defense purposes into the reserve, you cannot attack the Pokemon here; you must convince them to join you with treats or words. You will also be given thirty specialty Pokeballs to use, and these Safari Balls are the only ones you may use inside the Safari Zone. If you'll read over this contract here, fill it out and sign here, here, and here…"

Ash had to appreciate the lengths the place was going to in order to protect the Pokemon. With Team Rocket beginning to resurface, everyone was taking more safety measures. The paper detailed the full version of the rules, and required Ash to give her name, trainer ID, what Pokemon she was bringing and what it's registration number was, a description of the treats she brought (there was a place for employees to sign off, confirming the safety of the food), an agreement to follow all those rules, and of course the waiver that basically said they weren't responsible for trainers acting stupid and getting killed. _Nice_.

After confirming her ID through her PokeDex, the man handed her a small numbered key on a sturdy chain.

"You can put your belongings and Pokeballs in the lockers over there, and there will be a smaller pack inside with your Safari Balls. Best of luck, trainer."

Nodding her thanks again, Ash did as instructed, tucking her PokeDex into the side pocket of the green cross-body pack. A tube-like sleeve on the outside of the strap contained the Safari Balls, all attached to a cord so she could grab one, tug it free, and let the next one slide down to the opening near her right hip.

"Alright, buddy, you're coming with me for today," Ash told Pikachu, gently tapping his nose as she let herself out the back door and into the reserve area. "Let's go explore."

As eager as she was, Pikachu hopped down to the grass and led the way, nose twitching as he took point. Amused, she followed, eyeing the environment, impressed. She'd read about the work that went into creating the different bio-domes that made up the reserve, but seeing it in person, it was impossible to tell that this place was man-made. From the sprawling trees to the underbrush, it all looked perfectly natural.

"Pika pi," her partner called, having gone farther ahead. Picking up the pace, Ash kept an eye on him as they went farther into the woodsy area. Already she could see some curious Pokemon watching her from the cover of the bushes and trees. A couple Nidoran skittered away from her, but she didn't follow. She would wait until a specific Pokemon called to her, and then she'd try to bribe them into coming with her.

Pikachu guided her around a nest of Dugtrio and Diglett, away from a particularly irritable-looking Doduo, and helped her avoid a sleeping Scyther with wickedly sharp blades arms. He knew she wasn't looking for the typical 'strong' Pokemon, but also he would be the one fighting any angered Pokemon so it was in their best interest to avoid stepping on any toes, so to speak.

Honestly, just exploring the heavily wooded area with her partner was relaxing and fun. Ash felt light, playful even, quietly talking to and teasing Pikachu as they jumped over tangling tree roots and ducked drooping branches. He was enjoying himself too, now that they had the time to forge their own paths and meander wherever they wanted. When they were on the road, they didn't often stray from the beaten path unless something really interesting or important showed up, or to find a spot to set up camp for the night.

A Chansey waddled by, cheerfully waving at them until they waved back. Ash was a little surprised at how… well, calm the Pokemon here were. A few did scamper away when they saw her, but most took a few moments to look and then continued with whatever they were doing before she showed up. She guessed they were used to humans, the Safari Zone _was_ a popular place.

Eyeing a set of large tracks she suspected belong to a Kangaskhan, she shrugged off the thought and just followed Pikachu. She was relaxed and happy, her Pokemon was having a good time, and that was all that mattered.

XxXxX

The Buneary was a surprise.

Around noon they'd stopped by a large lake, Ash leaning back against a tree in the shade while she picked a few Poke Puffs out of her bag to share with Pikachu. There were several Psyduck by the edge of the water, a few Slowpoke puttering around on the grass and in the shallows, all of them slowly making their way over to the pile of Poffins she'd left about three yards away from her. She had a bit of a soft spot for dumb-looking Pokemon.

The bushes to her left and behind her rustled, and she kept still. Slowly, a little brown shape padded closer, and Ash's eyebrows rose.

The Buneary was tiny, probably the runt of its litter, standing about a foot tall including the one upright ear, and had pink fur on its ears and lower body. It looked from the Poffins in the distance, to Pikachu off to the side with a Poke Puff, and then to Ash, beady eyes curious. Very slowly, Ash offered the pink Poke Puff in her own hand, not yet touched, to it. The Buneary considered it for a moment, but its nose twitched and just like that it skipped over and took the treat, eating with gusto and giggling a bit.

Ash wasn't really one for Buneary, but… Serena would probably love the thing. Not to mention the fact that it was a shiny, and thus rare as hell.

Seeing his trainer's interest, Pikachu finished stuffing his face and approached the smaller Pokemon. When it didn't run, only tilted its head a bit, Pikachu squeaked out a greeting. The Buneary replied, and with a few minutes of conversation, relaxed completely. It motioned to Ash, and Pikachu made a reassuring motion, holding his paw out towards his trainer with an expectant look.

"Hey there, Buneary," Ash said with a small smile. "I know somebody who would _love_ to be friends with you."

All it took was Ash promising that yes, Serena could make Poke Puffs too, and Serena would love Buneary's pink fur, for the tiny bunny to agree to be caught. Tucking the first used Safari Ball safely into the bottom of her pack, Ash huffed out a laugh.

"Well, that was easy."

XxXxX

Lance patted Dragonite's snout after dismounting, recalling him in order to enter the out of the way building. He didn't usually come to the Safari Zone, but one of the wardens had asked him to check on the Dratini and Dragonair population, and as the Dragon Master he was pretty much the only one qualified in the region. Not that he minded. Dratini were the only baby Pokemon that could make him say the word 'aw' out loud, and the only ones worthy of such a noise.

Waving off the employee at the front, he was about to just walk right through when a crackling yellow blur smashed right through the back door. It paused for a split second, looking around frantically before its eyes found him and it released the most gods-awful screeching Lance had ever heard a Pokemon make. It darted around his legs and then back towards the door. When no trainer followed, Lance reached for a Pokeball and ran. He hadn't seen a Pokemon so distressed since… actually, not ever. The Rocket's Pokemon were exceptions if only for the fact that there were always drugs and torture involved.

"Dragonite, follow the Pikachu," he ordered as soon as his partner materialized. The Pikachu barely waited for him to get on his dragon's back before it was gone, and only Dragonite's speed allowed him to follow. Lance spared a moment to be impressed by the Pikachu's speed, but only a moment. In seconds they'd crossed the majority of the forest, and now he could see the pillar of smoke rising from a spot close to the Dratini's lake. One second more and they were there, and the young Champion growled when he saw the red 'R' emblem on a group of unconscious grunts, a crashed jeep (the source of the smoke) and…

Oh no.

The Pikachu was crouched at a girl's side, no doubt its trainer. She was propped up against a large cage that… were those bars _bent?_ The girl slowly pulled bloody hands away from the gap, and a dozen or so Dratini swarmed her, chirping in concern. It didn't take long to piece together what had happened. Team Rocket must have sent a team to capture the Dratini, and this girl had put a stop to it despite the risk.

He dropped to the ground, motioning for Dragonite to keep watch on the grunts, and made his way to the girl. The Dratini were reluctant to move away from her, no doubt knowing she was their savior, but Lance was a Dragon Master, and knew how to handle them. With soft but firm words and hands, he pushed them away so he could get to the girl. Her Pikachu was nuzzling her, but not getting a response even though she was sitting up. From the sheer amount of red on her clothes and the ground, she'd been hurt a lot.

"Miss, I need you to look at me," he said, turning it into a command with his tone. It took her too long to lift her head, and she struggled, finally shifting enough so he could see her face beneath the League cap she wore. He sucked in a breath at the bruising on one side; she must have been slammed into the cage at least once. There was blood dribbling down from a head wound, a little from her nose, and her pupils were dilated to the point of only a thin rim of sienna remained framing them.

Definitely concussed, and still bleeding an alarming amount near her ribs. She blinked slowly, uncomprehendingly, and he reached for his PokeNav; a gift from Steven that was about to prove its usefulness. Calling the League headquarters, he glanced around again, but Dragonite didn't move, so there would be no one else around.

"Lorelei, I need a few Ace trainers at the Safari Zone, and a medic ASAP," he ordered as soon as the Elite Four member appeared on the screen. "A trainer stopped Rockets from stealing a nest of Dratini, but she's injured and still bleeding."

" _Understood,"_ the older woman replied, already turning to organize the necessary individuals. _"I'll send a medic first."_

"Thank you." Hanging up, he studied the girl. She was still staring at him, not even recognizing someone was in front of her, which was not a good sign. Fortunately, the familiar surge of psychic energy behind him let him know that help had arrived. Twisting towards the source, he nodded at the paramedic and her Alakazam while stepping back to give them room.

"Do you know how long she's been like this?" The woman asked, already searching the girl's body for the source of all the blood.

"Not much more than fifteen minutes," Lance answered. With how fast the girl's Pikachu was, it was almost impossible for it to have been any longer. It would have left for help as soon as possible after its trainer got injured. "Which hospital will you be taking her to?"

"Indigo's. She's going to need Ditto cells, and we'll have to work fast. Alakazam says she's got internal bleeding in her brain. We'll take her and the Pikachu now."

And then they were gone, Teleported for emergency treatment. Taking a deep breath, Lance picked up the green bag that must have been the girl's, and turned back to the Rocket grunts with a dark scowl before controlling his expression and going to check on the young dragons who had scuttled towards the water at the paramedic's arrival. He'd calm and check on them, first. Dragonite could handle any Rocket that woke up.

He would probably strangle them if he got too close.

So he called out Ptera to destroy the cage, once he'd reassured the Dratini that they were definitely safe. Every single one of the little dragons wanted to know where the girl was, how she was doing, and Lance found himself intrigued. It was rare for such a large number of young dragons to be so concerned over a stranger, savior or not. As a Blackthorn he was the exception, and with his gift to understand their language he was something of a favorite human to most, but the girl was not part of the clan.

By the time the Ace trainers arrived, he had already received a report on the girl's status; stable, but she would need at least a full week of rest. Lorelei also demanded that he get her pack and Pokemon from the Safari Zone and bring them, because the girl was going a little stir crazy already－despite barely being awake－and her team was the best bet of distracting her. Relieved and amused, Lance did as told.

He had quite a few questions about this girl, and also several choice words. What she'd done was brave but incredibly dangerous, especially with only one Pokemon on hand. As Champion, he sort of had to give her the 'thank you but you can't be doing this' lecture.

XxXxX

Surge scowled as he stalked down the hallway of Indigo's infirmary. Not even a full two weeks, and the runt was already injured again! By Rockets, _again_ , and didn't that just piss him off to no end. Runt was lucky Lance had dropped by, and that her Pikachu was so fucking fast. Of all the damned stupid things to do… going after a full team of Rockets with only one Pokemon…

"Oi, Lance," he barked, drawing the younger away from where he'd been looking through the glass panel of Ash's room door. "How's the runt?"

If the Champion was surprised at his presence, he didn't show it. "She'll recover fully in a matter of a week or two, although she was bad-off initially. The Ditto cells worked better than they expected, due to her having been treated with them before. All things considered, she was lucky."

"She's got the worst luck," Surge grumbled, peering into the room. The runt was asleep, her Pokemon surrounding her－how the fuck did that tiny cotton ball evolve into that massive Altaria? And her Houndoom was a fucking beast, what did this girl feed her team? "Let me guess, she was close to climbing the walls so you had her Pokemon distract her."

Snorting, Lance nodded, eyeing the much larger man speculatively. "That's right, she was in your care after that SS Anne incident. Yes, she was determined to be on the road again until her Houndoom sat on her legs. I didn't expect the Houndour Bugsy traded her to get so large, even with evolving…" he murmured, almost as an afterthought.

Bugsy? When did that nerd meet Ash? His question must have been easy to guess from his face, because Lance just shrugged.

"Apparently, they met in Pewter. Ash managed to catch a monster of a Scyther, but she decided she didn't have the experience for it. Since Bugsy was already looking for that same one, she asked him to take it, and he traded her a young Houndour for it. He was very pleased."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Kid's a freak when it comes to bugs."

Shooting him a mildly disapproving look, Lance didn't reply, checking on the runt one more time before stepping away. He paused for a moment.

"As a sort of thank you from the League for dealing with the Rockets, I'll be taking her to Blackthorn City for a week or so of vacation. Just don't tell her it's also to ensure she doesn't try to get back on the road too quickly."

Blackthorn City, huh? Surge smirked, eyes narrowing as the young Champion－not much older than Ash－left the infirmary, pace unhurried but purposeful. But as he turned the corner, Surge could see that his face was as red as his hair. Oh, this would be _fun_.


	11. Chapter 11

Ash had no idea how this happened.

Okay, she had some idea, but… she was in Lance's family's house. Her, some newbie trainer from Pallet Town, was currently in _Johto,_ in Blackthorn City, inside the house that _Champion Lance Blackthorn_ grew up in, talking to his _mother_.

This… this was something no one could expect, right?

Oberon cackled at her star-struck aura, and without missing a beat she shoved him off the counter where she was helping Lance's mother cook dinner. He used Psychic to catch himself and hover midair, sticking his tongue out at her before levitating himself out the nearby window, most likely to go find Pikachu.

"Your Espeon is so funny," Kaida giggled, tucking a long strand of crimson hair behind her ear. Every move she made was elegant, Ash felt self-conscious just standing next to her, but she was a very kind woman. Lance had clearly gotten his color and charisma from his mother.

"He likes to think so, too," Ash sighed, though she was grinning. "He and my Sylveon were my first Pokemon, so they've known for a long time that they can get away with pretty much anything. Oberon's the only one to use that, though, but my little Queen keeps him in line for the most part."

Titania, appearing as if her title summoned her, trilled with a haughty toss of her head. In two of her ribbons she held Ash's Ocarina, and with the other two she pulled her trainer away from the kitchen and pushed her towards the back door. She pressed the ocarina into Ash's hands and took over cutting up the vegetables Ash had been working on, ribbon wrapped tight around the knife's handle.

Kaida found this both adorable and hilarious. Ash wanted to disagree, but… well, it was.

So she obeyed Titania's clear command and went outside, after apologizing to Kaida about it, and looked around. Alto hummed, and she headed for her dragon, burying her face in her chest fluff, trying to contain herself. She'd been in Blackthorn City for nearly four days now, told that she should take the time to rest and relax while she finished recovering.

As far as the events at the Safari Zone, Ash had managed to stop the Rocket grunts and save the Dratini, albeit at high cost (she'd caught a look at her medical records, this incident had been worse than her injuries from the SS Anne, and they hurt more because this time she was awake for them). Lance had retrieved her things before taking her to Johto, also making sure that Buneary had been properly transferred to her. She'd taken a full day to tell Buneary all about Serena, showing her the few pictures she had, reassuring the Pokemon that as soon as the other girl had her trainer license, she'd find a way to get them together.

After that, though, Lance had been in and out of his house, though he spent a few hours with Ash daily. Their talks ranged from their teams, training methods, mild debates about strategies, and the realities of essentially running a region to things like what they did on their down time, preferred music, and such. Ash found herself thinking of her idol as a possible _friend_ , which was amazing and far easier than she expected. She'd shown him some of the photos she'd taken (his favorite being the one with Oberon chasing Alto back before she evolved), and even taken some new ones with Lance. So Ash was still in a bit of a daze.

She learned a lot about Indigo's Champion, and what struck her the most was that part of the reason he was such a competent Champion at such a young age was that growing up in the Blackthorn clan had put a number of huge responsibilities on his shoulders very early in his childhood. He was apparently the heir of the clan, and he managed the clan as well as both regions of Indigo, all at the age of fourteen. It was a heavy burden that he bore proudly, and she admired that.

She took pride in how he praised Alto, and her care of her dragon. He'd confirmed that it was extremely rare for an Altaria to get so large, and when he'd complimented the glossiness of her feathers, Alto decided that he was now her second-favorite human. Not surprisingly, Charmander followed suit, following the Dragon Master around on several occasions.

When Lance had asked why Charmander didn't battle, the feelings of grief and rage that she'd thought she'd moved past came bubbling up again.

"His first trainer," she'd said through gritted teeth, "was abusive, to the point that Charmander sustained injuries that could prove fatal if he ever evolved. Charmander agreed to come with me after that bastard abandoned him, but we made sure Officer Jenny got to Damien first."

One look at Lance's face had showed that he understood her sentiments on the matter. Ash had the feeling that Damien would be receiving Karma like a sucker punch to the sternum, courtesy of a teen that could probably break him in half with little effort.

"Ah, there you are." The voice drew her from her thoughts, and she peeled her face away from Alto's feathers as Lance walked over. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she replied with a small smile even as Alto arched her long neck to inspect her hands, nudging at the ocarina. "Titania kicked me out of the kitchen, though."

Chuckling, Lance shook his head at the mental image, eyes following Alto's movement to land on the instrument in her hold. His golden eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You play?"

"Just a little. I only know a couple songs, but my teams likes the sound, so I try to play them pretty often. It's been a few weeks since the last time, though." Which was probably why Titania had bullied her out of the kitchen, now that she thought about it.

Without another thought, she brought the ocarina to her lips, knowing that as soon as the first few notes reached their ears, the rest of the team would come running (or Teleporting, in Oberon's case). Her fingers automatically moved to play Lugia's song, and Alto sank to the ground, relaxing as the familiar melody spilled into the air. After a few moments, she joined in with her voice, creating a harmony on the spot.

Pikachu skidded to a halt a few feet away, Oberon flopping to the ground beside him even as Houndoom trotted over with Charmander on his back. Ash knew Titania was listening through the kitchen window. So she played, eventually transitioning into Oracion. By then, several dragons had wandered over to listen, and other Blackthorn clan members, but Ash found herself lost in the songs again.

Every time she played, she felt the echo of power in those melodies, and it soothed her.

XxXxX

Lance was pretty sure he was fucked.

He'd been _interested_ in Ash, ever since Bugsy had emailed him about her, glad to have a name for her when Surge explained why he'd had one of his Gym trainers taking care of all challengers for those two weeks after she'd been released from the hospital, in the aftermath of the SS Anne tragedy. He'd been concerned, but when she resumed her journey he'd gone back to mild curiosity.

Or so he'd _thought_ , but apparently he'd been wrong. When he'd realized that the girl covered in blood was actually the same Ashka Ketchum he'd been keeping an ear out for word on, he'd never felt so… well, furious at the Rockets, for one. He'd never felt the urge to stay close by to someone before, not even his cousin Claire, who was arguably an extension of himself by this point (they were closer to twins than cousins, really). And this, this strange warmth and being pleased every time Ash willingly spoke to him?

He refused to call it a crush. He was interested, that was all.

(Who was he kidding, he was head over heels for this spiky-haired trainer with cute odd birthmarks and a love for traveling, this girl who was a brilliant strategist and loved Pokemon, this girl who for some inexplicable reason all the dragons he knew _adored_ , this girl who would probably someday beat him in a Pokemon battle and by Lugia and Ho-oh, he couldn't _wait_ ).

Now if he could just get Claire to stop trying to tell his _mother_ that Ash should marry into the clan, he'd be able to handle this.

XxXxX

Augustine Sycamore was a bit eccentric, and that was something Ash spotted within ten minutes of being in the same room. It was something Oberon appreciated, the mischievous Espeon charming the Kalosian professor in a matter of seconds, and something that seemed to annoy Lance. It took Ash a long moment to recognize what the look in his eyes was.

"Lance… are you jealous that Oberon liked Professor Sycamore faster than he liked you?"

The redhead scoffed, which was as good as admitting it, and when Ash caught Oberon's smirk, she realized the brat had intended to get that sort of response. For what reason, she'd likely never know, but she made a mental note to keep a closer eye on the prankster. Who knew what he was up to.

It turned out that Sycamore had recently rescued a Gible, and was asking the Blackthorn clan for advice on raising it. He'd also been accompanied by a small blue frog-like Pokemon that Ash's PokeDex registered as a Froakie, one of the traditional Kalos starter Pokemon. He was an aloof little thing, and apparently he had a habit of abandoning the trainers that chose him. Sycamore seemed to think he just didn't like trainers, but Ash told him straight up that he was wrong.

"It's not that he doesn't want a trainer. If he didn't, he wouldn't be so interested in all the training grounds here. He's been following a lot of the stronger trainers around to watch how they train, and then he sneaks off to practice on his own－he wants to get stronger, so he's looking for a trainer that can help him do that with the most efficiency. What he wants is experience, and that's just not something most newbie trainers can give," she explained, never once looking up from her notebook as she jotted down her plan of action for fighting Sabrina, PokeDex on the table in front of her with all the information she had on the woman and her Pokemon displayed on the screen. That was why she missed Froakie nearly falling off Sycamore's shoulder in shock at being 'outed', and the way the professor looked at Lance, eyebrows raised.

Then Froakie started following _her_ around, watching with rapt attention whenever she trained her team. Sycamore had taken to watching those sessions as well, and the day before he was to leave, he stepped onto the porch she was sitting on and dropped a Pokeball in her lap. When she looked up, baffled, he grinned at her.

"I think you have what Froakie is looking for," he told her with a shrug, motioning to the yard where the little Water type was practicing Bubble using Oberon's multiple Protects as targets. Froakie was focused, but he also looked like he was having fun, and Alto chirped out encouragement and advice every now and then.

"You sure?"

"One hundred percent," the professor nodded, eyes bright. "I already asked Froakie, anyways. He would rather stay with you."

Chest warming at that, Ash looked at the man for a moment, considering. Then she nodded to herself. "Professor, one of my best friends lives in Kalos. She's not allowed to go on her journey until she's fifteen, but she's taking the license exam soon, and to help her get a little experience before she's allowed to travel, I recently acquired a Pokemon that is already excited to meet her. Would you mind taking it with you and looking after it for her until she can pick it up?"

"Marvelous! You have a lucky friend! I'd be happy to, what Pokemon?"

Ash pulled the Love Ball out of her pocket; she'd gotten it a while back, and had chosen to transfer Buneary to it because Serena was both a huge fan of pink and hearts. "A shiny Buneary," she informed him with a slight smile, handing over the Pokeball. "You can study her if you like while you have her."

Sycamore took it gently, clearly delighted with its contents and the permission she'd just given him. "You certainly know how to charm a scientist, _Mademoiselle_! I promise, Buneary will be well-cared for, and safely given to your friend. What is her name?"

"Ah, Serena Yvonne. She lives in Vaniville Town, her mom's a Ryhorn racer. I'll let her know you have Buneary once she gets her license, I'm sure she'll convince her mom to take her to Lumiose ASAP after she finds out."

"One's first Pokemon is quite the motivation," he agreed, amused.

Secure in the knowledge that Serena would be getting Buneary fairly soon, Ash spent the rest of the day getting to know Froakie. He was an honorable fighter, and enjoyed training more than most Pokemon would. He preferred to be productive, but wasn't averse to having fun－so long as he could hone his skills while doing so (Poke Tag became his favorite training game, for the challenge his new teammates presented in their advanced skill sets). He took to her training methods like a bird to the air.

Her new Pokemon revived the urge to get out and get back to her journey, and it had been two weeks since she'd done any traveling. After only having traveled for less than two weeks before that, she was more than ready to get back to collecting badges. Fortunately, Lance understood that.

"I'm actually out of vacation time," he admitted from his spot on the foot of the bed as she went over her equipment to pack. "I'll take you to Saffron, and then I need to get back to Indigo Plateau. Oh, and take this." He handed her a plain box. "A friend of mine gave me two of them to test run for him, but they're not prototypes, they just haven't been released to the general public yet. I've already programmed my contact information into it, so feel free to send me a message whenever."

Ash stared at the logo of the Devon Corporation for a minutes before lifting her gaze, eyebrows to her hairline. "This thing is probably worth more money than me." Quickly continuing when she saw the look on his face at the comment, she picked up the dark blue device. "Thank you, though, really. What can it do?"

"It's capable of normal and video calls, can take photos, has email and an instant messaging feature, a fully functional GPS system as well as normal maps, and there are several applications related to monitoring different information about your Pokemon. When they're released for purchase, you'll be able to download other apps. I think Steven mentioned there will be a database of trainer profiles, at least for Gym Leaders, Elite Fours, and Champions."

So basically, this was the ultimate companion to a PokeDex. Lance laughed when she said as much, pleased that she liked it. Slipping it into her vest pocket opposite the one she normally kept her PokeDex in, she promised to take care of it and that yes, she would message him whenever. She took that as a sort of confirmation of their friendship.

After saying their goodbyes to the clan (Kaida told Ash she was welcome to come visit any time), Lance hauled her up onto his Dragonite's back, holding her in place in front of him. Dragonite was much faster than Alto, and since they were on a bit of a time crunch, it just made sense to double up. That didn't stop the weird, warm tingling Ash felt everywhere her back had contact with his chest. She ignored it in favor of making sure Pikachu was securely tucked into the top of her pack, strapped to her front for the trip. She had lots of practice with ignoring things.

In the end she was too distracted by the thrill of the sheer speed they were flying at. She'd known that Dragonite were practically the fastest flying Pokemon known to humans, but being aboard for the ride was something entirely different. It barely took the a half hour to cross over to Kanto, and from there only one for them to see Saffron City in the distance. The winds were too loud for them to talk, but knowing that she'd be able to message Lance, Ash didn't mind the lack of conversation. He dropped her off just outside the city, a wise move considering who he was. She'd rather not get torn apart by fans.

"Thanks for the ride," she smiled, patting Dragonite's side. The large dragon reached out to gently pat her head in return, and Lance nodded.

"Good luck with your battles. You still have… about six months left, if I'm not mistaken, to gather the rest. I expect to see you at the conference, Ashka."

With that, he was gone, and she waved as Dragonite vanished into the sky. It was still relatively early in the morning, so she went to check in at Saffron's Pokemon Center first. She handed her Pokeballs over to Nurse Joy to check over, Pikachu hopping onto the trolley, and settled down in the lobby to wait. Busying herself with transferring the contacts she had saved to her new PokeNav, Ash debated making a call or two, but eventually decided against calling the Oaks. It was still early. The only person she could call would be Serena, as the time difference would make it late afternoon in Kalos.

Seeing no reason not to, she hit the call button and waited. After a few seconds, Serena appeared on the small screen, confusion melting away when she saw who was calling.

" _Ashka! How're you?"_

"Good, just got to Saffron. How's your racing training?"

Making a face, Serena groaned. _"Ugh, don't remind me. It's not like I hate racing, I just… don't love it. Mom's upped the hours I train per week in exchange for letting me take the exam…"_

"Have you taken it yet?"

" _I did!"_ Despite the screen's small size, it was easy for Ash to see the happiness on the other girl's face. _"Now I just have to wait to see how I did, I think they said it would take a couple weeks for the tests to be graded and the results sent out."_

Ash smiled, excited for the day she would tell her friend about Buneary. "I'm sure you did great."

They chatted for a while, and Ash told her that this number was permanent (she was lucky the Pokemon Center was practically empty at eight in the morning, because Serena flipped the fuck out upon learning the events since their last call) so they could now talk wherever Ash happened to be. Messaging, too, as Serena had a tablet with a compatible app.

" _I'm gonna have a heart attack if you keep getting into trouble, Ashy,"_ Serena warned her. _"You'd better check in every day so I don't worry so much about you, even though you_ need _it."_

"Okay, Ser," Ash sighed, though she was looking forwards to having regular contact with her friend. Hearing the familiar bell that signaled Nurse Joy's completion of a checkup, she got up. "I'll let you know how my match goes, but I need to train a bit first. Later."

" _Later, good luck!"_

Hanging up, Ash retrieved her team and headed out to the training area. She honestly wasn't sure about Saffron City's Gym Leader, because hardly anyone ever won the Marsh Badge, and those who did didn't talk about Sabrina afterwards. She only really had information about her from a few League exhibition matches, and it was all but official that she was a powerful human psychic.

Ash was willing to bet that she would be facing psychic bonds in this Gym match, and planned accordingly. Psychic bonds meant no warning when it came to attacks, so she'd have to be careful. While the concept was one she had been wanting to work on with Oberon, he wasn't ready to combine such a high level skill with active battling. It took an extremely experienced Pokemon to split their focus in such a way, even aided by having a trainer who had psychic abilities of their own.

Oberon would definitely be battling, though. He'd be able to fight off psychic attacks and unlike most Psychic type Pokemon he wasn't physically frail, so he had a slight advantage there. She'd send him out first, and hopefully he'd be able to take out more than one opponent.

Houndoom would be next. His Dark typing would protect him from the worst of the damage, and she'd trained him to mix his Dark type energy with his fire attacks. In theory, it would prevent Psychic types from shielding themselves from the flames, but she'd never had the chance to test it. If it came down to it, Houndoom had physical moves, and he could coat his own body in Dark and Fire type energy.

Her third would be Pikachu, because the bright lights and loud sounds of his electricity would disrupt the necessary focus of any psychic in the area. Add that to his speed, and he would be able to dart in and land multiple attacks before retreating and then repeating as needed.

Most Gyms preferred three-on-three battles, but if Sabrina decided otherwise, Ash would send out Titania, Alto, and Froakie in that order. She'd rather not use Froakie just yet though, not against such a powerful opponent. He was improving rapidly but he just wasn't on the same level of the others yet. In a few months and after he'd evolved he'd be a terror on the battlefield, but until then she didn't want to pit him against someone that far above him.

That decided, she put her team to work. They needed to perfect their newest skills before she challenged Sabrina.


	12. Chapter 12

" _The two who are one, who once saved and failed the worlds in turn. The hands of fate have a tight grip on you, child, and the hourglass has been shattered and remade to provide the base for a union of souls. Ashka Ketchum… you are an odd one indeed. I have high hopes for you."_

Sabrina's words echoed in her head, taunting yet cautious in equal measures. They made no sense, and yet something in Ash had reacted so violently to them that she couldn't just dismiss them as a cryptic psychic intent on putting her off balance. If it was related to her _knowing_ things, she wanted no part in it. The two who are one… something so odd should not sound so ominous. She was just Ash. Nothing more, nothing less.

She lost the match.

Her team had fought brilliantly, taking out the opposing Espeon and Mr. Mime, but Ash had been so shaken that it gave Sabrina and her Alakazam the advantage. The psychic had given Ash the Marsh Badge anyways, reminding the younger trainer that a Gym Leader only needed to deem a challenger worthy of the badge to give it.

"You have trained your Pokemon exceptionally well," she'd told her as she presented the Marsh Badge. "They responded to even the vaguest of your commands with extreme precision, despite you not being at your best. They trust you, they know you, they love you, and they fought with everything they had. That is the sort of bond a true master strives for, and you have already developed it. You will do great things, by their side."

And then she'd Teleported away, leaving one of her trainees to escort Ash out of the Gym. To be honest, Ash was feeling unsteady and a little alone. Somehow, she made it back to the Pokemon Center to hand over the Pokemon that had battled for healing, and then she retreated to her room in a daze.

Saving and failing worlds? Hourglasses? What had Sabrina been talking about? It was giving her a migraine just hearing it again in her own mind, and with a heavy sigh Ash collapsed onto the bed and tried to put it out of her mind for the day. Pulling out her PokeNav, she sent Serena a message saying that she lost but fought well enough to earn the Marsh Badge, and then she called the lab.

"Hey," she greeted when Samuel appeared on the screen.

" _Ashka! What on earth happened? You left us a message when you were headed into the Safari Zone but we couldn't get a hold of you after that, and then I got a call from the League saying that the Champion would be taking you out of the region to recover! Recover from_ what _, Ashka?!"_

Ash thought back, and winced.

"I'm sorry, with all that went down calling totally slipped my mind," she said with a frown, and then braced herself for the scolding she was sure to receive in a few moments. "Team Rocket attacked the Safari Zone while I was in it, and I got injured. Lance had just gotten there to check on the Dratini population and I guess he felt bad that I got hurt, so after I'd been treated he took me to Blackthorn City for a couple of weeks, the Blackthorn clan let me train with them. He dropped me off here in Saffron this morning."

Samuel Oak pinched the bridge of his nose, murmuring something that sounded like a prayer, before he leveled her with a flat stare. _"I'm sending Ho-oh's feather back to you, you didn't start getting into trouble until you sent it to me. No, don't protest! First the SS Anne, where we all thought you were_ dead _for a week, and now this? Come home. Not for good,"_ he interrupted her immediate protest. _"Just for a few weeks. You have plenty of time to get your last few badges, I just… Daisy and I both would like to make sure you're alright. You don't have to tell anyone you're here,"_ he added softly.

"... Okay," she said, defeated. She understood the reasoning, and since she only had two badges left and six months to get them, a bit of training while staying close to Pallet wouldn't hurt. And the professor's experience would definitely be good to have on hand, he'd been one of the greatest, if not _the_ greatest, trainers of his time. "Three of my Pokemon are still with Nurse Joy, but I'll head home once she's finished with them."

" _Call me when you have them, I'll have Alakazam pick you up."_

Nodding, Ash hung up and rolled over, staring at the ceiling. It didn't seem that long ago that she'd set out with three Pokemon and high hopes. Now, she was almost qualified for the Indigo Conference, ahead of schedule, and with a team she loved more than anything. She'd been near death twice, both because of Team Rocket. She'd met and befriended her idol, spent two weeks at his home with his family.

Pokemon journeys were something else.

XxXxX

"Nice to see you again, Alakazam," Ash greeted the aged psychic softly.

' _I am glad you are well,'_ Alakazam replied, shuffling closer to her as she exited the Pokemon Center. _'Many things have left their mark on you, but you live and thrive still. Let us be off.'_ Crossing his spoons above his head, the Psychic type gathered his power and suddenly they were outside of the lab, not even a flash of light to announce their presence. Awed by the display of power and skill, Ash thanked him and went inside.

Recognizing the lobby, Pikachu called out their arrival. There was shuffling, and then Samuel swung around the doorway of the main seating area. He smiled when he saw them, and Ash hurried over to hug the man.

"Welcome home," he said against her hair, and then Daisy barged in and snatched her away from her grandfather, scolding Ash so quickly the younger girl was having trouble making out what exactly she was saying. After a solid three minutes, Daisy finally relented and dragged them all to the kitchen.

"You're just in time for dinner," Daisy informed her. "Oh, we've missed you tons, Ashka… go on and tell us about your journey so far. And I want to see your team later!"

Sharing a resigned look with Samuel, Ash dropped into the closest chair, rolled her eyes when Pikachu grabbed the ketchup bottle from the table, and started her tale. Daisy was a terrible person to tell a story to, always interrupting with questions and little stories of her own, but it was always enjoyable. The Coordinator pouted when Ash mentioned how she sent the shiny Buneary to Serena, clearly put out by missing a chance to see it, but she approved.

"I'm glad you've reconnected with her, she's a sweet girl. It sucks she has to wait so long, but I guess that's why she has you－to get her the Pokemon she can't go out and get herself."

"Daisy," Samuel scolded, but he was grinning so his granddaughter didn't take it seriously.

"I just feel bad that her mom keeps forcing her to do the Ryhorn racing," Ash admitted. "But I promised her that when she's allowed to start her journey, I'll go to Kalos and we'll travel together."

Daisy hummed in thought. "Sounds nice, I've heard Kalos is beautiful. And traveling with friends is always fun!"

"I actually met Professor Sycamore recently," Ash remembered, hand automatically dropping to Froakie's Pokeball. "He came to Blackthorn to ask for advice for his Gible, he's the one I asked to take Buneary for Serena. He ended up giving me a Froakie; its one of the Kalos starters, the Water type."

"Really?" Samuel sat straighter, intrigued.

"Yes, you can study him later."

"I like how she doesn't even wait for you to ask, Grandpa, she already knows."

"Professor Sycamore had the same look when I told him Buneary was a shiny."

"We're _researchers_ , girls, of course we want to look at Pokemon we don't see often, or ever."

XxXxX

Being back in Pallet was… weird. Ash never once left the lab except to head off to the wilds for hours to train, but she had missed the Oaks, and enjoyed spending time with them. As she'd hoped, Samuel agreed to watch a few of her training sessions and the spars she had her Pokemon doing, and then gave her tips on how to improve.

He was very impressed with Alto and Houndoom, not surprising given their larger than normal sizes, and he was fascinated with Froakie. He ended up contacting Professor Sycamore and offering to trade a set of starters, so each could study the foreign Pokemon up close. After a bit of debating, Sycamore agreed to it, and Ash had been startled so badly by the shout of triumph that she fell off the couch she'd been dozing on.

Samuel encouraged her to have Oberon train with Alakazam, then Pikachu and Houndoom with his Arcanine. Titania, Alto, and Froakie somehow convinced the professor's Dragonite to train with _them_ , so Ash made a mental note to contact Gary and recommend he do the same. Samuel Oak's team was still monstrously strong, and it was probably the best preparation a trainer could get for the League.

When the older Pokemon took the younger away to train, Ash split her time between training herself and her aura (something that had been set on the back-burner for a while) and hanging around the Oaks. With Samuel, she helped out around the lab, and with Daisy they tried new recipes for Pokemon food and treats, and debated grooming methods. Daisy also tried to get Ash into Contests, but since the younger was so focused on getting ready for the last two Gyms and the League, it didn't go anywhere. Ash thought it was fun, and she enjoyed it, but battling was her passion and what inspired her.

Ash _did_ keep it in mind, though, because Charmander liked the idea of dancing and making his few moves look pretty. She was pretty sure that Kalos had some version of Contests that didn't have any battling involved… maybe she could look into that. Charmander deserved to have something he could do with his trainer, something official that could be watched and _won_ just like a battle. She'd ask Serena about it later.

She messaged Lance occasionally, sometimes sending him pictures she'd taken during training. He had congratulated her on earning the Marsh Badge, but when Ash wouldn't answer what seemed to be bothering her about it, dropped the subject. He sent her pictures of his own team, and sometimes they were up late going over various topics that caught both their interests.

Froakie evolved two and a half weeks into their stay, now a speedy and agile Frogadier. He'd learned Pound and Double Team, was close to perfecting both, and had already mastered his other moves. Ash planned on having him work on Cut and Aerial Ace next. He also tended to join her when she practiced the martial art moves Surge had taught her, and they sparred sometimes (she used her aura, and he wasn't allowed to use his move set).

She spent a good month back in Pallet before she decided to go for her next badge. It was about time she got going, anyways (no, she was not running from Daisy, who kept teasing her about Lance, no matter what the other girl implied). Right before she left, Serena called to tell her she finally got her license, and Ash was finally able to tell her that her first Pokemon was waiting with Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City. Having to suffer through the resulting squeals and elated shrieks was worth it, though, and the next day Serena called with her new Buneary cuddled in her arms to thank her again. Ash was just happy that her friend liked Buneary so much, and that Buneary returned the sentiment.

Samuel also insisted on her taking the Rainbow Wing with her. She pressed it to the skin beneath her right collarbone, and it's feeling its warmth again was like greeting an old friend. Feeling significantly lighter and less stressed by the troubles of her journey, she let her fingers brush over it once before she went back to packing.

Getting to Cinnabar Island was easy; it would have been a two day ride by boat due to the number of sandbars and reefs to go around, but Alto could cross the distance in just over six hours. And there were tons of small islands for them to take breaks on, or camp if it was really necessary. After Samuel and Daisy saw her off at the docks, Ash climbed up onto Alto's back and got Pikachu settled, and then they were shooting off into the open air.

Ash still hadn't bothered to buy an actual saddle or goggles, but she didn't care. Flying was amazing no matter what safety measures－or lack of－she had. Alto seemed to feel same, easily gliding with the air currents and headed straight south of Pallet, totally happy just to fly with her trainer.

It was a clear, warm day, and Ash took the time to think. She was－somehow－far ahead of her schedule, which placed her even farther ahead of most trainers. The average trainer would have about two months left by the time they reached their seventh or eighth badge; she had six, and while she didn't have a rotating team, her Pokemon were still in the middle of a skyrocketing learning curve that showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Hell, Houndoom had just recently figured out a way to create a tangible _cloak_ of Dark type energy. It was awesome and terrifying, and while he could only hold it for five seconds at the moment, with practice it could be his signature technique.

After she got the Volcano Badge, her plan was to head for the wilds. There were several in Kanto, but the one north of Fuchsia was the one she was considering. There was a decoy power plant farther north, one of the ones that kept Electric type Pokemon from seeking out electricity in cities, but it was a rugged area with a lot of naturally strong Pokemon. Because of its remote location, it was the perfect training grounds for Ash. Not to mention that the sheer number of Electric type Pokemon caused the landscape to be slightly charged, and for Pikachu to master Magnet Rise, he needed to be able to control it no matter what conditions were created on the battlefield. Unstable magnetism would be the perfect way to practice.

"Altaaaa," Alto trilled, a sweep of her elegant neck telling Ash that they were passing the first island. She glanced down, noting how clear the water was, eyes widening when a large flash of white and blue circled beneath them.

"Hey, can you go a little lower?" Ash raised her voice above the wind, tightening the grip her legs had on Alto's body as the dragon suddenly dived, only to level out once they'd dropped to about fifty feet above the water's surface.

Ash's breath caught as Lugia's neck burst through the waves, its head almost as big as her entire body. Alto crooned, dipping her head in respect to the Legendary, whose eyes squinted a bit as it smiled and swam alongside them while they flew.

Lugia was magnificent, silver-white feathers with navy blue plumes around its eyes, on its back and long tail, and an underbelly coated in pale blue-gray feathers. Ruby red eyes glinted, glowed pale violet, and Ash shivered as psychic power flooded the area around them.

' _Greetings, Chosen.'_

"Hi," she squeaked, shocked beyond belief and unable to question the 'chosen' bit. Flushing as a wave of amusement swamped her senses, she held the Legendary's gaze.

' _I see Lady Rainbow has already delivered her gift,'_ the deep baritone voice resonated through the water and air, making Ash's bones feel like they were vibrating. _'Forgive me, I had not the time to do the same when you had been in my domain; your survival was my priority. Come here, little one.'_

Without hesitation, Alto swooped down and onto Lugia's broad shoulders, and the massive Pokemon twisted his neck and kept swimming. Slowly, Ash slid of her friend's back, and cautiously sat down, mind blanking out in the presence of what was basically a god. Pikachu, like Alto, seemed almost blissfully relaxed as he clambered down to bury himself in silver feathers.

' _I know you have many questions, Chosen, but be patient. You will find your answers with time. For now, focus on your journey, your bonds with your Pokemon. You are doing well, yes?'_

"Y-yeah," Ash replied, a little high-pitched but better than before. But a Legendary was… conversing with her? Casually? What? "Yeah, I'm doing well. My team is… they're amazing." _I sound stupid!_ "What… what do you mean by Chosen? Does it have anything to do with what Sabrina said?"

' _Sabrina… the inland psychic, yes? Indeed it does. But do not let her words confuse you; you are Ashka, Our Chosen One, whom we Legendary Pokemon love. Someday, you will understand why. Worry not about it until the answers become clear on their own. Fate has plans for you, but your choices are your own, and always will be. All that we ask of you, Chosen, is that you do not forget the bonds you have made, and that you do not turn away from the path you have chosen. Take this,"_ Lugia rumbled, and with a flash of his glowing eyes, a single feather was plucked from his neck, silver with one edge of navy blue. It floated over to her, carried by psychic power, and just like she had done with Ho-oh's feather, Ash tucked it against her skin, beneath her shirt. _'You are precious beyond explanation, Chosen. You will face trials like none other… but your strength and that of your bonds will carry you through so long as you permit it. Now, the time comes for us to part.'_

Blinking at that, still trying to process Lugia's words, Ash looked up and beyond his neck. Sure enough, Cinnabar Island was just barely in sight on the horizon. She had more questions than ever, but in the end she decided to trust the Legendary and just wait. Getting to her feet, she approached his head, and he lowered it to press his forehead to her chest. He radiated heat, and she felt herself relax, tension draining from her body.

Had she been more aware of her surroundings, she would have noticed the soft _click_ of a camera shutter, and Pikachu's scramble to shove the camera back into her pack before she turned away. She might have even noticed the return of Lugia' amusement as he glanced towards her partner, but she didn't.

"Thank you," she said lowly before stepping away, back towards Alto.

' _No, Chosen. You played my song. Thank_ you _."_

In a daze, Ash climbed back on top of her dragon after slinging her pack over her shoulder (when had she dropped it?), waited for Pikachu to get settled behind Alto's neck, and waved before Alto launched upwards. By the time Ash could safely lean over and look back, Lugia was gone, and they were almost to Cinnabar.

Both feathers pulsed against her skin, and she smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

Blaine's Gym was inside the fucking volcano.

Ash had sort of expected it, but it was one thing to have an idea, and another to hike up to the top of a volcano and then meet the gaze of one brilliantly insane Fire Master. And then he hit a switch and the battlefield _lowered directly into the volcano_. Ash had been sure she would die, but the chains stopped lowering them about halfway down.

She wasn't proud of the way she panicked, but on the plus side, her Pokemon could tell she was terrified and fought viciously (Titania took advantage of there being no walls to keep Fairy Wind-ing Ninetails right off the platform, Frogadier kept blasting Ryhorn with water and leading him right off the edge, and Houndoom used his Dark Cloak to terrify Magmar into submission, something that confused Ash but she hadn't exactly seen the look on Houndoom's face). The battle ended quickly, in her favor, and she almost cried in relief when Blaine got them back up to the top before presenting her with the Volcano Badge. Ash wasn't entirely sure why the volcano caused her so much anxiety, but didn't stick around to figure it out. She went back to the Pokemon Center and got her team healed up.

"You guys were awesome today," she praised, after she'd let them out in her room. She gathered her pajamas and headed for the bathroom, then paused. Sighing, she waved everyone over. "Let's wash all that soot off of you."

It had been a while since she'd given her team a full, all-out grooming, and even Houndoom didn't object to a proper bath (he was actually the dirtiest, he just didn't look it because of his black fur). One by one, she worked dirt and soot from fur, feathers, and skin, then carefully dried and brushed those that needed it. Charmander had to go last, since his cleaning required a cloth and a specialty oil instead of water, but within two hours they were all groomed to perfection. Then she shooed them all out so _she_ could get clean.

She spent an hour in a tub filled to the brim with hot water, brain exhausted into silence after everything. Idly tapping her knees, she stared up at the ceiling until the bathroom door opened. She turned to it with a raised eyebrow, but when she saw Frogadier holding her PokeNav, she just waved him over. He shut the door behind him and brought her the device, although Ash nearly dropped it when she saw it was active on a video call. _With Lance._

"Frogadier!" She whisper-shrieked, narrowing her eyes when he only shrugged and _laughed_. "You can't just… I'm not… ugh. Hey Lance, can this wait a few minutes? I'll call you back."

Lance, not able to see her at the moment because her fingers were covering the camera, didn't seem to understand why. "Actually, this is rather important. I needed to ask you about the Pokemon you reported after the SS Anne incident."

 _Of all the fucking times,_ Ash whined internally. "… The psychic one, yeah. I never got a real look at it, but Oberon confirmed it was just one Pokemon."

"Do you remember anything about the blast?"

Ash closed her eyes. Oh she remembered it, alright. She remembered how the entire ship _crumpled_ beneath the pressure, a split second of distant screams that were cut off almost instantly. She remembered the terror, the cold fingers of death, how rigid the psychic energy had felt, how _forced_.

"It was fast," she said instead. "It wasn't there, and then the next second the source of the blast was in the sky, and already about to hit. It had been storming, but the noise or lightning didn't seem to hinder it at all." She hesitated, taking a brief moment to cover the PokeNav with a washcloth and set it on the edge of the tub. "It felt cold… and forced," she added. "Like there wasn't any life in the source. If the Rockets did something to force the Pokemon to obey them…"

She could be wrong about that. But something in her screamed that the Pokemon was not willing, that the Pokemon needed to be saved. Those feelings had never let her down before, and Lugia had eased her fears about her ability somewhat.

"That is concerning," Lance murmured, no doubt thinking of the implications of something capable of binding such a powerful Pokemon to the will of criminals. "Locating the Legendaries would likely narrow down the possible Pokemon. If Team Rocket has gotten their hands on Lugia－"

"It wasn't Lugia," she shot him down instantly. "He's still free, they don't have him, and Lugia's power isn't cold at all anyways."

"... Are you saying you have seen Lugia personally?"

 _Shit_. "Yes. Literally just yesterday." And then Pikachu scampered in with her camera, shoving it at her until she looked at the screen. She froze for a moment, then leveled her starter with a flat stare. He smiled at her, and Ash rolled her eyes, looking back to the image of her hugging Lugia's head. "I have a picture, I can send it to you later if you need proof."

There was a strained sound, and then Lance said, "It would help. Is it not on your PokeNav?"

"No, it's on my regular camera."

"I see. In any case, thank you for the information, Ashka… If I may, why are keeping your PokeNav's screen off? Is everything alright?"

She shot Frogadier a dirty look. "Everything is fine, my Pokemon just don't know what places and times are inappropriate to hand me a call. Did you need anything else?"

"... No, that was it. Thank you, again. I'll talk to you later."

She hung up as soon as she deemed it safe, and pinned her Water type in place with a glare.

" _Why_ would you hand me a video call while I'm in the bath?!"

XxXxX

 _Seven badges down,_ Ash mused as Alto landed outside of Celadon City. She'd just finished a week of constant trainer battles to save up some money, deciding that it was now time to ramp up the training level and get some TMs. The last Gym Leader she planned to face was rumored to be Champion level, so her Pokemon would need every bit ammo she could get her hands on for them.

Thanking her dragon for the flight, she returned her and set off at a jog. She remembered enough of the city's layout to head directly to the Department Store. Ash had passed it over the last time she'd been in the city, not having needed anything at that time. But now, she hurried up the stairs and to the store that boasted thousands of TMs. She'd even timed it so she would arrive early on a sale day. She'd been saving her money as much as possible for the expensive machines, and thus immediately began browsing to find what was on her list.

And she had quite a lot of TMs on her list.

Toxic, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Disable, Aromatherapy, Draco Meteor, Solar Beam, Night Slash, Grass Knot, Ice Beam, Rain Dance, Discharge, Dazzling Gleam, and possibly Dig.

And she would have to pay an extra fee to unlock them for multiple uses, but… She mentally added up the prices and winced, but it was within her budget (she totally did not skimp out on her own food budget for this. Absolutely not…) and she wanted a good number of extra moves for her Pokemon to work on while they were out in the wilds. Plus, her Pokemon _needed_ more type variety in their move sets, so the sacrifice was worth it.

56,000 Poke was still difficult to hand over, though… But at least she got a TM Case as a bonus for her ridiculously pricey purchase. Mourning her much lighter wallet, Ash secured her hard earned spoils into her bag, tapping Pikachu's curious nose in warning so he wouldn't dig out the TMs again.

"Later," she told him. "You'll get the new moves once we get to the wilds. You still haven't mastered Magnet Rise, either, we'll work on that first."

"Pika pika!" He whined, pulling lightly at her hair while he pouted on her shoulder.

"Master Magnet Rise first, then you get the rest."

"Pi."

"I'll buy you three bottles of ketchup."

"Pika pi! Pikapika pi pika!"

 _Every time,_ she thought as she hid a smirk. Now that she had _him_ motivated, it was time to stock up on food supplies and get the hell out of dodge. She had some intensive training to start.

XxXxX

"Lance!" Samuel Oak blinked rapidly as he opened the door wider. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Stepping inside when offered, the young Champion nodded respectfully, but his smile was a little dry. "I hoped you haven't forgotten that we arranged to meet about the newest results of yours and Professor Sycamore's studies."

"Is it Thursday already? I could have sworn… well, never mind. Come in, I have everything up in my office, and I know you've been antsy about how the type advantages of the Fairy type go against your dragons." Oak smiled knowingly, and Lance felt a weight settle in his gut. He wasn't sure he liked that that phrasing implied.

"I'm curious," he corrected. "After all, Dark and Steel types were discovered just a few years prior to the Fairy type, and those two turned quite a few advantages on their heads. If you've managed to pin down what the Fairy type is capable of, it's a big deal."

"Of course, of course. Augustine has been a huge help in this endeavor, with Kalos having a number of native Fairy type Pokemon. You know, we'll be reclassifying some of Kanto and Johto's Pokemon due to this discovery. Sometimes I find myself wondering just when we would have learned all of this, if Ashka hadn't spoken up those years ago."

"Ashka? She had a part in this?"

"She was the one to propose it," Samuel said, dark eyes twinkling. "She is also the reason for the discovery of the rest of the eight Eeveelutions, and that Sylveon and Espeon of hers were the very first of their kind. Gary's Umbreon, as well, both of them wanted to help prove the possibility of more evolutions for Eevee. And I'm sure you are aware of Lorelei's Glaceon, by this point. Ashka and Gary were there when it evolved."

Taking a moment to process this information, Lance followed the aged professor up the stairs and into a cozy office, sinking into the chair opposite Samuel's. He'd figured Ashka's first two Pokemon were rare, but he hadn't known they were the _first_. And for her to have been the one to pioneer their discovery, as well as the study of the Fairy type… she was far smarter than even he had suspected.

"I don't suppose growing up with you had anything to do with their brilliance?" He replied, only partially joking. Ashka had mentioned being raised alongside Gary Oak, but it seemed the Oak and Ketchum families had been closer than he assumed.

"I would hope it helped," Samuel chuckled. "Those two would spend hours here in this office, begging me to teach them more about Pokemon. Then they would beg me to quiz them, see which of the two knew more, and whoever lost would refuse to leave until I taught them some more. Ashka is my second granddaughter in all but blood."

 _Why did that sound like a threat?_

But Samuel didn't say more on the subject, instead picking a stack of papers off of his desk and shifting in his chair as he sorted through them. Selecting one, he waved it slightly with a smile.

"We'll be submitting these for release next week, but in essence, the Fairy type is weak against Poison and Steel type Pokemon, and extremely effective against Dark, Fighting, and _Dragon type_ Pokemon," he finished with a full-on smirk. "Ah, and it would seem that Altaria commonly learn Moonblast, which we have determined to be a Fairy type move."

 _That was definitely a threat._

Lance slumped in his chair, barely fending off a scowl. Ashka's little Sylveon and its delicate ribbons were, in theory, his entire team's worst enemy. Of all the trainers he had to fall for－ _be interested_ in…

He was startled from his darkening thoughts by his PokeNav, the device chiming to indicate a message. With a murmured apology, he checked it, smiling a bit when he realized it was Ashka. Opening the message, he froze.

 _Heading out to the wilds for a two-month training trip, will be out of range for a while. I'll check in when I hit up Fuchsia to resupply._

 _PS: Here's the picture of Lugia I told you about._

And what a picture it was, the Legendary as graceful and stunning as he'd ever imagined, its fearsome power softened by the gentleness it seemed to be nuzzling Ashka with. Lance felt his breath catch. This girl… she was special in a way that blindsided him, and he found himself certain that she was the most incredible person he'd ever met.

Samuel cleared his throat, and Lance offered him the PokeNav; surely he would want to know if Ashka planned on dropping off the map for a while. To Lance's surprise, Samuel looked at the message and picture and merely sighed.

"Lugia isn't the first Legendary she's come across," he admitted, reaching for his keyboard and pulling up several breathtaking images of a majestic rainbow bird. "She saw Ho-oh almost immediately after starting her journey; these photos were taken with her PokeDex. Sometimes I wonder just what she'll end up doing, but I've found its better to just brace myself for whatever news I get next. It's more effective, at least."

The need to _know_ Ashka, to understand her, was suddenly overwhelming.

Again, Lance knew he was fucked.


	14. Chapter 14

The sun was high in the sky, blindingly bright and unrelenting in its heat. With little cloud coverage and high humidity from recent rainstorms, it wasn't exactly the sort of day most people would be exercising in. However, Ash was hardly 'most people'.

"Keep it up, Pikachu! You're doing great!" She called out to her starter, who was wobbling as he stood on his tail and hovered a couple feet above the ground. The little Electric type was focusing intently on channeling his electricity through his tail, adjusting the charge as necessary because the metal and minerals beneath him were affected by the ever-changing electrical pulses saturating the ground.

He had finally gotten Magnet Rise functional, but not yet battle-ready. He _was_ making good progress now that he could actually levitate, and Ash was sure he'd be able to master it. Turning away, she observed the rest of her team, hiding a smile when she saw Charmander splayed out on a rock, happily soaking up the sunlight.

Thanks to the TMs she'd gotten, Oberon had learned Toxic, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater, and was working on perfecting each of those moves. Once he did that, she'd give him Disable, Grass Knot, Dazzling Gleam, and Dig. That would bring his move set up to sixteen, and make him a dangerous opponent.

Titania had received Aromatherapy and Toxic via TM, and she'd already mastered them. Now she was working on Dig, and later Ash wanted Pikachu to teach her Iron Tail. Other than that she was just honing her skills as much as possible, refining her moves and working on shortening the time it took to use them, as well as getting more power behind each of them. Ash also wanted her to start working on some combination moves, once she'd worked on her power levels. Her total move set would number thirteen, although Ash was considering teaching her more later on.

Pikachu was still struggling with perfecting Magnet Rise, but he had learned it, so Ash had gone ahead and given him the TMs for Toxic, Grass Knot, and Discharge. He worked on those whenever he needed a break from his main task, and so far only Grass Knot needed some work. Once he finished all that, and learned Protect from one of the others, he would have eleven moves.

Alto had surprised Ash with her progress, learning and mastering Dragon Pulse on her own, which made getting Draco Meteor down much easier. It needed more work, as it wasn't accurate yet and lacked the power necessary for competitive battling, but it was getting there. She'd also mastered the TMs Ash had used on her already: Solar Beam, Toxic, and Ice Beam. Once she got Draco Meteor up to par, Ash was going to give her Dazzling Gleam, Rain Dance, and Aerial Ace. That would be a stunning sixteen moves in total, and the dragon showed no signs of wanting to stop there.

Houndoom had learned and mastered Shadow Ball, Solar Beam, and Toxic, the last being easier due to his previous experience with Smog. He was now working on shortening the firing time for Solar Beam, narrowing the attack and working on his accuracy. Ash planned on giving him Hypnosis and Dream Eater next, hoping that Oberon would be able to help him harness the psychic energy necessary for the moves. The combo would round out his move set at thirteen moves.

Frogadier was _so_ close to evolving, having learned Cut on his own, and then getting Aerial Ace, Toxic, Ice Beam, and Rain Dance via TM. He had almost perfected all of his new moves, would probably only need a week more to do so. Then she would give him Grass Knot, and upon evolving he should learn Water Shuriken, and have the Dark typing to make learning Night Slash easy. In total, once he'd evolved he should have fourteen moves.

Basically, one month of constant training had brought her Pokemon to unbelievable levels of strength. Most beginner trainers, when it came to teaching their Pokemon moves, maxed out at five, and then they'd regularly use whatever new ones their Pokemon learned naturally. Not Ash; she had been preparing for her journey since she was five years old and bounding after Professor Oak, hungry for knowledge. She knew that in order to become a Pokemon Master, she had to know her Pokemon inside and out, she had to be prepared to bring out the best in them, to help them rise above their weaknesses and enhance their strengths.

It wasn't just the Pokemon that were training, though. Ash had buckled down and started training her aura like Bruno had advised her to; meditation to help her control it, _katas_ and drills to train her body in using it. She practiced until she could sense her surroundings down to the individual twigs on the trees around her, until she could coat her fists in a visible veil of shimmering blue light. She memorized the auras of her Pokemon, that she could now sense. And then she trained some more. She sparred with her Pokemon, now, dodging and redirecting their attacks (all physical and no proper moves, she was still human, after all).

Ash had never felt so strong.

XxXxX

Ash had never felt so small.

She'd been curious about the power plant, and once she saw that the wild Electric type Pokemon were friendly so long as she didn't get too close, she had decided to explore a bit. She'd never seen a power plant before, and since this was a decoy most of the main passages would be open so Pokemon could get in and out.

She just hadn't expected to stumble onto _Zapdos_.

The mighty Thunder Bird stared down it's sharp beak at her from its perch, having apparently decided to nest in the power plant's central area. It's crackling yellow and storm-cloud black feathers appeared to fan out, miniature lightning bolts dancing across their surface.

Neither of them moved for a long minutes, Zapdos sizing her up, and Ash trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, breathing shallowly as she attempted to calculate the odds of her escaping should the Legendary decide it didn't like her.

' _Chosen.'_

Ash jumped at the voice, the sound of a thunderstorm and static warped into speech. Much like with Lugia, her brain stuttered to a halt.

"Hi?" She squeaked.

Zapdos' eyes narrowed, but she was relieved when it didn't seem to be in anger. She relaxed a bit when it cawed out a laugh, and took a tentative step closer.

' _Fear not, Chosen. I will not harm you.'_

Well that was nice. "Sorry to bother you… sir?"

' _Humans and your language systems,'_ Zapdos snorted. _'You are not bothering me, Chosen… In fact, this saves me the trouble of tracking you down to see you for myself. Come here.'_

Now thoroughly confused, Ash did as she was told, carefully climbing onto the platform Zapdos had built its nest on top of. Respecting the boundary of the nest's edge, she circled it till she stood directly in front of the Legendary bird. It eyed her contemplatively for a bit, then tapped the top of her head with its beak, startling another squeak out of her.

' _Lady Rainbow did not exaggerate the power of your aura… It heals,'_ Zapdos murmured, if the sounds of distant thunder could be called murmuring. _'You would do well to learn that art, Chosen. When you have time, head for the once-kingdom of Rota. They've a long history of aura guardians, they are sure to have records you will find useful.'_ Settling back into its nest, Zapdos twisted its neck to pluck at its wing, pulling free a single black feather, one yellow band on its outer edge that it then presented to Ash. _'My gift. Should you see my sisters, remind them Shamouti's remembrance approaches. Fare thee well, Chosen.'_

That was a dismissal if Ash had ever heard one, so she pressed the feather beneath the other two and ducked into an awkward bow, then made her way back to the floor where Pikachu waited anxiously. He jumped onto her shoulder as soon as both feet touched the metal, and with one last look at the Thunder Bird, she turned on her heel and left.

She sort of hoped this wasn't going to become a regular thing, but had the sneaking suspicion it already was.

XxXxX

"Try controlling the size and location of it," Ash said to Frogadier, motioning to the successful Rain Dance he'd summoned. "There's no point in using a bunch of excess energy if you can hit only where you need. Nice work on the speed, if you can consistently keep it under three seconds you'll have the advantage. You're doing awesome, bud. Oi, Oberon! Leave Pikachu alone, you goof, he's working! Go practice Disable with Titania if you need something to do!"

Rolling her eyes at her little prankster, Ash patted Frogadier's shoulder and moved to Alto, who was working with a miniature Draco Meteor in her efforts to perfect the move. It was coming along nicely, with Alto now able to control each individual meteor's direction; she just needed to work her way up to full power while maintaining that accuracy and control.

Turning to survey the clearing her team was training in, Ash nodded to herself when she realized that everyone was making excellent progress. Charmander was helping Houndoom by setting up and rebuilding targets, since the bigger Fire type's paws weren't capable of doing to. Both Eeveelutions were sparring, with Oberon listening to her earlier words and trying to perfect Disable.

It was a month and a half into their training camp. Pikachu had finally mastered Magnet Rise and was now working on improving his power levels so he could fire off other attacks while keeping his control of it steady. He wasn't as fast as he could be with it yet, but they still had time, and he was quickly getting the hang of the new fighting style. In two weeks, she had no doubts he'd be ready to fight the final Gym match.

Sinking to the ground, Ash pulled out her PokeNav, opening up her note app. She'd taken to inputting whatever ideas she had at random to work on when she had spare time. Several pages worth of ideas and corrections spanned the screen, and she idly scrolled through them yet again. The Viridian Gym was well known for its powerful Gym Leader, who would refuse any challenger that didn't already have seven badges. It was rumored that the man was as strong as most Champions, and he preferred Ground type Pokemon. Someone of that caliber would have trained their team to fight past their weaknesses, and surpass any type advantages their opponent would try to use.

She suspected that every single Pokemon on the man's team would have unbelievable physical strength, which meant she needed to ensure her team could evade and withstand anything he could dish out. Withstanding would be the more problematic version; none of her Pokemon were built for taking hits like the ones Ground types were known for. They were far stronger than most of their kind, but the Gym Leader's Pokemon would be the same. So she needed to make sure her team would be fast and agile enough to slip around attacks while not wasting any energy. She'd need to build up their stamina, as well, she was certain.

As a trainer, her duty was to prepare her Pokemon for whatever they might face. She would not fail them.

XxXxX

"Serena, dinner will be ready in ten!"

"I'll be down soon!" Serena hollered back, still seated at her desk. The honey-blonde sighed, eyeing her tablet. No new messages from Ash. She'd probably gotten caught up in training again and not made it back to Fuchsia that day… Sighing again, she shook her head and stood. No use hovering, with the time difference Ashka would be sleeping now, so Serena stretched and glanced around her bedroom. "Mimi, time for dinner."

"Bunear? Bu bun, buneary!" Mimi bounded out from Serena's closet, a yellow ribbon clenched in her paw. She waved it at her trainer cheerfully.

Giggling, Serena took it and carefully looped it into a bow around Mimi's neck. "I see you found the ribbon stash. I should get you some real accessories, the next time Mama takes us to Lumiose City. They have really cute stuff in the stores there!"

Mimi trilled, pleased with the idea, and Serena scooped her up, nuzzling her happily. Mimi was a tiny Pokemon, only about seven inches tall if you didn't count the height of the one upright ear, but Professor Sycamore had said much of it was due to not enough food before she'd been caught, and that with time and proper care she would grow more, as she was still very young. She was still the most adorable Pokemon ever. She was sweet and cuddly, and as into fashion as her trainer was. Serena didn't feel like she'd ever be able to repay Ash enough for gifting her the Buneary.

Before getting her trainer's license, Serena had just been aimlessly trying to escape Grace's Ryhorn racing lessons. She didn't hate racing, and she even loved Ryhorn, but… she wasn't a racer. She didn't want her life to revolve around a dirt track and heavy jumpsuits. Maybe she didn't have a solid idea of what she _did_ want to do, but the only way to find something that she truly enjoyed would be to travel and see all the things she'd never be able to see in Vaniville Town. But she'd been stuck, because her mother refused to let her give up the race training without knowing that she was passionate about something else.

And then Ashka called her.

It had been years since she'd last spoken or seen her friend, and yet it didn't seem to matter. Ashka supported her immediately, offered to _help_ , even went out and found a rare Pokemon that she willingly gave to Serena, wanting nothing in return. Ashka had always known her dream, way before they even met, and while Serena was a little jealous, seeing her friend's drive was also inspiring.

"You know, Mimi," she said as she went down the hall, "before you came, I really didn't have anything. No dreams, no real hopes, no goals. You gave me hope that I can find a dream for the both of us."

"Bun?"

Giggling softly, Serena rubbed her chin over the soft fuzz atop Mimi's head. "I love you, Mimi."

"Bunear! Bun buneary bun!" Mimi squealed, squirming so she could wrap her little arms around her trainer's neck, returning the affection. Rubbing the pink fur on the end of the little Pokemon's ear, Serena smiled at her mother as she rounded the doorway into the kitchen.

Grace grinned back, pausing to pet her daughter's first Pokemon. "I still can't believe Ashka caught you a shiny Pokemon. She's such a good friend to you, Ser, I'm happy for you. You need more friends."

"I don't know, Mama," Serena said, teasing, "she's set a pretty high friend standard."

"That's for sure." Snorting, Grace waved her daughter into a chair at the table. "Still, her traveling alone for her first League worries me. You couldn't convince her to find a group to go with?"

"She's already so far ahead of pretty much everyone her age, though. She only needs one more badge before she qualifies, and she still has at least three months left, and even then she's behind her own plans because of the SS Anne…" Serena's face fell at the reminder, absently placing Mimi down in front of her little pink food bowl. She'd heard the news reports, about how the ship sank, how many lives were lost. It chilled her, thinking that her best friend could have been one of those who didn't make it, who were still missing.

A gentle hand mussed her hair, soothing. "I know… she's a tough girl. I'm glad you're going to wait and travel Kalos with her when your older, I don't know what I'd do if something like that happened to you."

"That's why I'm going to prepare myself," Serena replied firmly. "Speaking of preparation… do you think we could go camping sometime? We've never gone before, and I don't want my first try to be when I'm starting my journey. I think it could be fun, like a vacation, we haven't gone on one in a while."

"Ooh, nice idea! Maybe we can get Calem to come, he's supposed to be taking a few months break, surely he could spare a weekend to spend some time with us."

Smiling at the mention of her older cousin, the girl nodded. "Yeah, maybe we could call him－"

"No need!" A familiar voice chirped, causing both females to whirl towards the front door. A tall, lanky teen shut the door behind him, kicking off his shoes. Blue eyes sparkled with fondness, and Calem Xavier slipped his hat off his black hair, dropping his backpack by his shoes and hurrying over to his already-standing cousin and aunt.

"Calem!" Serena laughed, jumping at him for a hug. He lifted her off her feet with ease, still a good foot taller than she was. "I missed you, how have you been!"

"Hey, Serry-Berry," the boy beamed, leaning over to add Grace to the embrace. "I've been good, just finished a little adventure close to Frost Cavern. Did you know that Basculin can literally break themselves out of an ice cube by flexing those chompers of theirs?"

"No I did not."

"Me neither. Glaceon wasn't happy about her favorite moves not being effective. And－ohhh my, who is this cutie?" Calem's voice rose in both disbelief and admiration when Mimi hopped up onto Serena's chair, curious about the newcomer.

"Her name is Mimi," Serena introduced, catching the Buneary when she jumped. "Ash－you remember, my friend from the summer camp?－gave her to me recently. She's my first Pokemon!"

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Mimi," the teen said seriously, shaking her little paw and hiding a smile. "I thought Ash was from Kanto, though?"

"Apparently she found Mimi in the Safari Zone," Grace explained.

Calem whistled, impressed. "And she just gave the little tyke to you? I need a friend like that, get me some shinies nice and easy. Congrats on becoming a trainer, Serry-Berry, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," Serena replied, a little bashful now, sinking back into her chair as her family followed suit, finally digging into the food on the table. Eyeing her cousin, she paused. She'd been wanting to ask her mother, but maybe Calem would be of help to pull this off. "Hey, Calem? You've been to other regions, right? How much does it cost to fly to some of the eastern ones?"

"Wanting to pay Ash a visit? It depends on when you book your ticket, if you did it now it would be pretty cheap, like 17,000 Poke or so. If you waited till it was time for either of the Indigo Conferences, it could get up to 45,000 Poke per ticket easy, and that's not including hotel prices."

"Mama, do you think we could go see Ashka compete?" Serena bit her lip, trying to figure it she could do any odd jobs to save up. "Since its her first League, I thought it would be nice if we could go support her."

Grace hummed in thought, taking a bite off her plate. "Indigo holds their conferences right after the New Year, I think…? Yeah, that's actually perfect. Kanto's having a Pokemon Sports convention right after it, and I was invited to speak there anyways. We can just go early, and you can spend time with Ashka while I'm at the convention! And you, Calem, can keep an eye on the both of them and make sure they don't wander off," the woman added dryly.

Serena flushed, but knew better than to protest. It only happened _one_ time, and that was just because she hadn't wanted to leave Ash after the summer camp ended, so the both of them had hidden in the woods near Professor Oak's lab. Shaking her head, she smiled. Her mother had given the okay, so she'd be able to see Ashka again, and pretty soon!

"I'll finally get to see her Sylveon in person," the honey-blonde sighed happily, giggling when Mimi softly headbutted her for attention.

"Whoa, what? Sylveon… wait, that's the new Fairy type Eeveelution Professor Sycamore was talking about!" Calem yelped. "You're saying _Ash_ is the trainer he's been been freaking out about? The one who discovered the rest of the Eeveelutions? Then she's got an Espeon, too, right?"

"Yep," Serena smirked, popping the 'p' and gloating over the fact that _she_ was friends with 'the mysterious trainer with ultra rare Pokemon' that her cousin's friend group had been going wild over. "Mimi played with them a lot, didn't you, Mimi?"

"Bunear," Mimi nodded cheerfully, oblivious to the nearby trainer's pouting, causing the girls at the table to laugh.

Serena smiled wider, excited now that she was going to be able to reunite with Ashka. Maybe she should bring a gift… she could check out the stores near Professor Sycamore's lab next time she went to let him study Mimi. Decided, she settled back in her seat, and told herself to be patient. Three or four months wasn't too long… maybe…


	15. Chapter 15

Mewtwo's eyes weren't glowing.

He didn't need his psychic powers for her to understand, for her to stumble forwards in the rubble and reach out, hands glowing blue as she funneled as much aura as she dared into them to rip that _damned_ prison-armor off of him at its joints. The sudden surge of cold power made her drop to the rock and dirt beneath her, but the satisfaction alone made up for her exhuastion.

' _Thank you, old friend,'_ Mewtwo rumbled, flexing his power as it returned to him. He turned his face upwards, eyes on the faint light spilling down from the deep hole they were at the bottom of. _'Recall your comrades. I will ensure all of this is taken care of.'_

Ash didn't argue, forcing her trembling arms to hold out Pokeball after Pokeball. Only Pikachu remained, gently cradled to her chest. Every single one of them was unconscious. She closed her eyes at the sudden burn of tears, breath hitching as the memories ran circles in her mind.

 _－_ _held the Earth badge tightly, a hard-won battle making the success even warmer, until the Gym Leader chuckled darkly and spoke of an offer he had for her_ _－_

 _－_ _the horrifying realization that Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket, that_ _－_

 _－_ _no way he would just let her leave now that she_ _－_

 _－_ _had to escape, had to save her team, she refused to let something as simple as chains stop her from getting free and warning Lance_ _－_

 _－_ _all of their Pokemon at once, even tired as they were, tremors so powerful that the walls of the Gym shook, crumbling around them while_ _－_

 _－_ _deep wound, the blood splattering across the ground even as Frogadier's entire body began to glow a brilliant white_ _－_

 _－_ _scream did nothing, her Pokemon, her comrade, her friend fell down through the gap in the floor_ _－_

 _－_ _slid down, tumbling a bit at the bottom and screaming for Mewtwo to stop_ _－_

" _－_ _lying to you, can't you see?! His entire life revolves around treating Pokemon as tools, he's just trying to control you_ _－_ _"_

' _ **Enough,'**_ Mewtwo said sharply, forcibly pulling her back to the present, and Ash forced down the bile rising in her throat.

"Okay," she croaked, obeying when the large feline Pokemon directed her to stand. He placed a paw on her least-injured shoulder and Teleported them up several levels, into the previously hidden Rocket base that had been beneath the Viridian Gym. Now, the Gym was nothing more than charred brick and chunks of rubble, and the base beneath was not much better. The exposed lab still made Ash shudder, broken glass and equipment shining the the sunlight from above. She could hear sirens, shouting and helicopters approaching, their presence setting Mewtwo on edge.

"You can go," she forced the words from her numb lips. Her legs gave out, so she crawled a little to the side and propped herself up against the closest semi-sturdy surface, carefully adjusting her hold on Pikachu. He was breathing, thank Arceus, but he was hurt badly and hadn't stirred since the attack that took him out of the battle. "I'll be fine, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo spared her a glance as he finished his preparations－Giovanni's still-smoking corpse, surrounded by the remains of his Pokemon, was propped against the opposite wall. Ash didn't even have the energy to scream or vomit at the gruesome sight, the evidence of Mewtwo's fury.

' _Your body will heal, yes,'_ he allowed, shifting some rubble so the large 'R' logo was visible on the wall. _'I will check on you as soon as possible, Chosen. There are many things I need to tell you, that I must thank you for… I only have one request; do not cut yourself off from your human bonds. You need them just as much as you need your team.'_

With that, Mewtwo vanished, his psychic power warping him right out of reality. Barely a few seconds later, the sound of beating wings reached Ash's ears. A Charizard landed heavily on a relatively clear patch, and a shocked Ace trainer met Ash's eyes. The man's gaze flickered over her body, taking in the blood and grime, the shackles still on her wrists and ankles, the unmoving Pokemon in her arms.

Then he turned his head a bit, and saw the Team Rocket logo, bright red in the sea of gray and black.

XxXxX

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Surge bellowed, fist slamming into the nearest wall.

Sabrina had just briefed the remaining Gym Leaders and Elite Four on what she'd learned, having been given permission to sift through Ashka Ketchum's memories. The girl, once she'd woken up, had practically begged not to have to talk about what happened, and once she'd given the woman her consent to enter her mind, Sabrina could see why.

"The psychic－Mewtwo－seemed to hold a large amount of respect for her, and was concerned about her recovery. It is likely it will return to her at some point, but I do not believe it will be hostile to us unless we try to prevent it from contacting her," she finished, eyes never once leaving the Champion's furious gaze. She understood his rage; Ashka was a kind soul, had never once deserved to have such a fate. Seeing what little she did about the girl's destiny, Sabrina could only hope this was the end of her interactions with Rockets. Lance's feelings for Ashka only increased the boy's emotions, but he was, fortunately, keeping himself under control.

"I want every bit of intel we can get from the rubble," Lance said in a dangerously soft voice. "With their leader gone, Team Rocket will be scrambling to regroup. I want every last one of them taken care of before they can. Koga, I need you to scout out their locations from whatever we can salvage from that base. Erika, I need some of your best grass type support teams on standby for when we raid other bases. Flint, you will…"

Sabrina allowed her senses to expand, following the flow of reality as the Indigo Champion prepared to wipe out Team Rocket. There were many things they could have－should have－done to prevent this, but now all they could do was move forward.

She had not truly understood Ashka, the first time she met the girl face to face. There was something odd, something _warped_ about the child's existence. Her soul had once belonged to two separate lives, and Sabrina hadn't been sure why the child glowed so brightly with countless threads of fate.

' _Chosen.'_

Mewtwo's name for the girl had cleared Sabrina's sight, and made her heart ache. The fate of those Chosen by Legendaries were never easy. It would seem that Ashka would have many difficult times ahead.

XxXxX

Ash had become a little numb to the routine of waking up in a hospital. The nurses told her that her Pokemon were still being treated, gave her the rundown of her injuries, subtly avoided telling her anything about the aftermath. The only thing she managed to overhear was how she had－while apparently still unconscious－freaked out when a nurse tried to rid her of her shirt to properly treat the many cuts and sprains she'd received to her torso and shoulders. It had taken something like six nurses to finally sedate her, and by then the three feathers that were shining like LED flashlights on her skin had already been seen.

She'd been delirious, and so many people had tried to take them away from her, tried to peel them off her skin, only for them to flare, shrieks followed by the smell of burnt flesh. The scent was familiar, horrifically familiar, and had Ash scrambling for something to throw up in every time. The feathers pulsed, lulling her back to sleep, blanketing her in a sensation of safety that would fade until the next time somebody that wasn't her tried to touch them.

The Legendaries didn't give just anyone their gifts, after all.

For the entire week she'd been on enforced bed rest, she'd been tense and ridden with panic attacks, nightmares of the carnage the leader of Team Rocket had been willing to cause for the sake of killing her. Add to that struggling against the sedatives, Ash felt _ill._ Something was going terribly wrong, the power of the feathers sharpening and becoming more painful than warm. Black veins spread from where they met her skin, and even breathing began to hurt. Her lucid moments became few and far in between.

Eyes sunken and hollow, gasping for breath, she could only wish desperately for her Pokemon, but no one ever listened to her pleas to see them.

XxXxX

"Something seems to be upsetting you, _ma crevette_ _._ "

Jumping slightly, Serena tilted her head back, offering Professor Sycamore a weak, sheepish smile. He sat down across from her in the break room, and the girl sighed, for once not protesting the nickname.

"... Ashka said she'd check in every two weeks on her training trip… she's three weeks overdue," Serena admitted, gaze falling to her hands, clenched in her lap. "She said she'd be out in the Kanto wilds… I'm worried. She's had a few mishaps before, where she needed to go to the hospital, but if she's out in the middle of nowhere…"

The professor frowned, gray-blue eyes dimming just slightly at the news. "She seemed a very responsible trainer, from what I saw. I'll leave a message for Samuel, perhaps her PokeNav was damaged, or something came up."

"Yeah, maybe… She did say Oberon was trying to figure out how to use it, last time we talked." She huffed out a laugh at the thought, turning as the side door to the connected examination room opened, Mimi bounding through it ahead of one of the professor's assistants.

"Sorry for the wait, Serena," Sophie apologized, "we're all done now. Thank you, again, for letting us study your Buneary. It's been extremely helpful in learning about the shiny gene."

Mimi pounced on her trainer's shoes, chattering away as she was picked up and cuddled. Her carefree, happy demeanor made Serena relax a bit, the little Buneary's innocent obliviousness soothing her if only slightly. In reply to Sophie's words, Serena shook her head.

"It's nothing, you guys brought Mimi here and took care of her until I got my license, think of this as returning the favor. Besides, she likes coming to see you."

Smiling at that, Sophie plopped down next to her, and the trio made a bit of small talk. It was a welcome distraction from Serena's worries, even when Augustine excused himself for a short while, his Gible scampering along behind him. He returned just after the two females had finished a conversation on one of the newer clothing stores on Vernal Avenue, mouth set in a small frown. When Serena sent him a questioning glance, he shook his head slightly, expression smoothing out into one of consideration.

"Serena, might I request your assistance? I've been meaning to survey some of the Pokemon on Route 4, and you've a way with Pokemon; would you come with me this afternoon? Ah, perhaps you might find another companion, as well," he mused.

The young trainer perked up a bit at that, having been wanting to explore a bit. She used Route 4 to get to Lumiose several times, now that she had Mimi, but her mother insisted that she didn't dally and so had been reluctantly hurrying down the main path every time. While she didn't necessarily agree with his praise, she _had_ learned quite a bit during her visits to the lab, and was able to approach Pokemon in a manner that set most at ease. It helped that Mimi was very small and friendly, Pokemon didn't feel threatened by her, so the little Buneary was able to break the ice in a way and introduce her trainer.

"I'd love to," she said, a touch of eagerness in her voice. Maybe she could use this as a sort of test run, for her future journey! Ash had once told her how she'd gotten each member of her team, with only one actually needing a battle to be caught. Serena liked that approach a lot, making friends and then offering a spot on her team. Besides, Grace never said she wasn't allowed to catch more Pokemon before she started her journey. "Oh, but I'll need to stop somewhere and buy some Pokeballs before we go, I don't have any. If I'd known earlier I would have borrowed some from Calem."

"That's right, you're his cousin. He's one of my best contractors, you know, he makes my job easier. Tell you what, I'll give you a few Pokeballs, since the Poké Ball Boutique is all the way across the city, in exchange for your help today. How does that sound?"

"Really? Thank you so much!"

"Marvelous! I'll grab those, and our equipment, then we'll be off!"

As the gate to Route 4 was just a ten minute walk from the lab, it didn't take them long to find themselves in the well-kept garden path. Low-trimmed bushes and shrubbery created a maze-like feel, interspersed with small fields of flowers and winding walkways. As far as routes went, it was a very mild one, with small Pokemon unafraid to scamper between the feet of passerby. Neatly sidestepping a pair of squealing Skitty, Serena took in the lovely area.

"Route 4 is always so pretty," she commented as she followed the professor towards one of the largest flowerbeds, where it overlapped with the forests that bordered the route. Mimi hopped beside them, sometimes inspecting a flower that caught her eye. Curious little thing… "So, what exactly will we be doing here?"

"Many new trainers pass through here on the way to Lumiose, and the area is filled with low level Pokemon. It's just routine to go through and make sure nothing too strong has moved here to make trouble. If we find one that cannot be reasoned with, I'll have my Ivysaur send it to sleep and we'll catch it to relocate it. It's only happened a few times, but we make sure to check anyways. Keep an eye out for anything unusual, conflict between wild Pokemon, or the sound of a battle. Here, take the Pokeballs and this radio and we'll split up. Let me know if you see anything!"

Nodding, Serena whistled for Mimi to follow her, following the line of hedges and glancing around. It was rather peaceful, with a slight breeze carrying the scent of flowers and greenery. Smiling to a passing Ledyba, she wandered some of the smaller paths.

"Seems like a quiet day, huh, Mimi?"

"Buneary, bun bun," the little Normal type agreed, before her upright ear twitched, no doubt hearing something Serena couldn't. Alarmed, she darted off towards it.

Breaking into a sprint to keep her Pokemon in sight, Serena felt the first prickling sensation of unease. The professor had said strong wild Pokemon didn't often come to Route 4, but what if…? She hadn't really done any training with Mimi, since she was so little and young, what if she got hurt? Serena let out a small gasp when Mimi ran straight past the tree line.

"Bun! Bun buneary, bun!"

Dodging a tree, Serena took in the scene. A small group of Scatterbug and Spewpa were huddled against a tree, shaking beneath the glare of a angry-looking Beedrill. Mimi stood between them, paws waving as she scolded the much larger Bug type, voice raised and ready to throw down. Oh dear…

"Drillll," Beedrill hissed, raising its stingers aggressively. "Beedrill!"

"Buneary!"

With another furious hiss, the Beedrill's stingers began to glow ominously. The little Spewpa and Scatterbug squealed in fear, and Serena gathered her courage and jumped in. Hastily going over the moves her Pokemon knew, she called out the commands.

"Mimi, use Quick Attack to deliver an Ice Punch!"

"Bunear," Mimi nodded, body shining with silver light as she lunged beneath the reach of her opponent's stingers. One paw lit up with an orb of bright blue, and Mimi slammed it into Beedrill's chest, ice spreading from where her paw impacted. Startled, the Beedrill flew back, eyed Serena with a narrow gaze, and seemed to rethink the situation. Hissing to itself, it fluttered its wings and darted off, farther into the forest.

Sinking to her knees in relief and exhaling loudly, Serena took a moment to compose herself. Then, she smiled. "That was great, Mimi, I'm proud of you." Turning around to check on the Bug types that were slowly moving away from the tree trunk, she asked, "Are you guys okay?"

Some of the Scatterbug chittered at her, inching their way closer while the Spewpa scuttled forwards to swarm Mimi. One broke away from its friends, coming right up to the human girl and patting her knee, chirping rapidly at her. When she just tilted her head, confused, the Spewpa hopped onto her lap, and wouldn't budge. Resigned, Serena patted its head gently and glanced at its friends, who were currently burying Mimi in affectionate snuggles. The Buneary was eating up the attention with glee, causing her trainer to snort.

Once the Bug types had thanked their rescuers enough, all but the one on Serena's lap headed for some nearby bushes. The Spewpa called out once, a hurried conversation of clicks and squeals that seemed to surprise the group, if only for a moment. Then, the Spewpa hopped back to the grass, staying close to Serena's feet.

Eyes widening, Serena stared down at the fluffy bug. If it wasn't going back home with the others, then… Excitement welled up in her chest but she pushed it down for a moment. "Spewpa… do you, maybe, want to come with me?"

"Papapapa," the little Bug type nodded cheerfully, nuzzling Serena's shins, its soft white fur tickling her skin.

Not bothering to hide her delight, Serena quickly leaned down to pluck Spewpa off the ground and into her arms, giggling when it nuzzled back eagerly. Mimi bounded over, jumping to her favorite hangout on her trainer's shoulder, trilling out a question and wriggling happily when Spewpa replied. Pleased with Mimi's apparent approval, Serena freed one hand and pulled out one of the Pokeballs the professor had given her.

"Welcome to the team," she said with a wide grin, gently tapping Spewpa's head with the Pokeball, red light sucking the Bug type into the device. It wobbled once in her hand before clicking, a tiny shower of sparks proving the capture's success. Unable to hold back a little squeal of delight, Serena trotted back to Route 4, knowing that she still needed to finish the job Augustine had tasked her with.

About an hour later, the radio she'd clipped to her belt chimed.

" _Serena! How goes the survey?"_

"Mimi found a lone Beedrill cornering some other Pokemon, but it flew back to the deeper parts of the forest after one Ice Punch," she replied. "I think it had just been mad about something. But other than that, there's been nothing. What about you?"

" _Everything has been normal over here. Why don't you meet me at the fountain in the middle of the Route, it's about time for a break, don't you think?"_

"Okay," she agreed, and turned away from the flower bed she'd been about to walk by. She was close to the fountain, anyways, and her legs were getting a little tired. Still, she sped up a little when she could make out the professor's familiar figure sitting on the lip of the fountain.

When she first got Mimi, she had offered to help out around the lab to thank the man and his assistants for taking care of the little Buneary, but she found that she had fun learning from them. She didn't think she wanted to be a scientist, but the things she learned kept her busy and occupied enough that she didn't feel so impatient to start her own journey.

Sitting down next to the tall man, she let Mimi down, her little friend wanting to bat at the water of the fountain. Augustine shifted to face her, eyes dropping to the Pokeball in her hand with interest.

"I see you've found another friend, _ma crevette_ _!"_

Making a face at the professor's preferred nickname for her－she was _not_ a shrimp!－Serena shoved down the mild annoyance and released her new Pokemon. Spewpa trilled, hopping up and down on her lap before its gaze found Mimi. It scuttled over her knees to rush to Mimi's side, joining the Buneary in a sudden game of splash.

"A Spewpa! Very healthy, too, judging from how white its fur is. Ah, I believe…" He leaned down to study the Pokemon, smiling when it tilted its head curiously before chirping and hopping in greeting. "Yes, this variant of Spewpa isn't native to this area! I'm not quite sure which wing pattern it will have as a Vivillon, but it is definitely one of the rarer ones."

"Really? You can tell just by looking? But it looked just like the rest!"

"The differences are very subtle," Augustine told her, amused at her confusion. "Things like the size of the colored scales in a Spewpa's fur, the precise shading of them, even the texture and length of their fur differ between the various patterns. I'm not a Bug type Pokemon expert, but for a time I studied the Vivillon line exclusively, trying to pinpoint the possible reason for the different wing patterns. It's what led me to specialize in the field of evolution, and then Mega Evolution! In any case, I can assure you that you will have a very lovely Vivillon someday."

Serena looked at her Pokemon, eyes wide. She hadn't even known that Vivillon had different wing patterns. "Is there somewhere I could see what the different patterns are?"

"I'm sure we have a textbook or two in the lab that would have pictures, but you can also find them online. Now, if you're really interested I could－oh?"

The delighted surprise in his voice made Serena whirl around, blinking rapidly when she recognized the Pokemon standing less than a foot away from her. A small, bipedal Pokemon, white and pale green with little red horns on the front and back of its head, standing at a little over a foot tall. Her breath caught, the rare Pokemon's presence having her squeal internally about her good luck.

"Ralts," it breathed, walking closer so it could put a hand on her leg. The Ralts, deciding that there was no danger, then jumped to balance on her knees. Without even stopping to think, Serena lifted her hand to pet the round top of its head, giggling breathlessly when the Ralts made a happy sound and leaned into the touch.

"Hey there," she greeted, beaming when the Ralts trilled at her, plopping down and making itself comfortable in her lap. Her mind flashed to all the stories she'd heard about Ralts 'choosing' their trainers, their ability to sense emotions, and her heart felt fit to burst. This Ralts actually liked her enough to get up close! Today was maybe her luckiest day, or tied with the day Ash told her that Mimi was waiting at Professor Sycamore's lab. "Oh my Xerneas, you're so cute!"

Mimi and Spewpa peered around her sides at the newcomer, barely taking a moment to decide that they liked Ralts. From one second to the next, Serena went from having one Pokemon in her lap to three, the little group giggling and chattering to each other. Fighting the urge to bounce in place from giddy excitement, Serena took a few deep breaths and rubbed Ralts' head to get its attention.

"Say, Ralts… I'm still new to Pokemon training, and I won't be traveling for a few years, but… I think you're pretty awesome. And you get along with my friends here," she added, giggling as the trio nodded in agreement. "Would you like to join my team? Spewpa just joined us today, too. We'll have lots of fun together!"

Ralts turned to look at Spewpa, the two having a brief conversation before it turned back to nod at her with a little smile. Practically radiating joy, Serena pulled out a second Pokeball and offered it to the dual Psychic/Fairy type. It pressed its hand against the button, essentially capturing itself. The Pokeball didn't even wobble once, clicking instantly. Unable to contain herself, she grabbed up her other two Pokemon and leaped to her feet, bouncing around as she celebrated.

It took a few minutes for her to calm enough to send her new Ralts back out, and then she properly introduced her two newest Pokemon to the professor, who congratulated her in his own quirky, semi-dramatic way. Then she got her Pokemon all calmed down so she could give the new ones nicknames. After a few yes-or-no questions, she found out their genders and brainstormed accordingly (when she started her journey, she'd have a PokeDex to simplify things, but until then she'd make do). Eventually she decided on Kofurai for her female Spewpa, and Felix for her male Ralts. Both loved their new names, and by the time the survey of Route 4 was finished, Serena was an adoring mess, fussing over her little team.

After returning the unused Pokeball and radio Augustine had given her, Serena bid the man farewell for the day and headed home, a Pokemon on each shoulder and on in her arms (they took turns, gently patting her face whenever they decided it was time to rotate). It was only late that night, after a few hours of her mother and cousin fawning over her new catches and the cuteness of her team, that Serena abruptly sat up as she realized what the professor had done. The sudden motion startled her Pokemon, snuggled up to her as they were, and she quickly apologized and reassured them that all was well.

A distraction, indeed; she had been so busy with the new experiences of today that for the first time in three weeks, she hadn't been beside herself worrying about Ash.


	16. Chapter 16

"How is she?"

"Better, now that the Feathers have been cleansed, and her Pokemon are with her. Keep a close eye on her, please, we don't want a repeat of this situation."

"To think, there were Rocket agents even in the hospitals… it's a good thing Sabrina was there to expose them. If Ashka's Pokemon had been stolen, I don't think I even want to know how she would have reacted…"

"Me either. I'm just glad we were able to get a Legendary to come fix those feathers… Zapdos was _pissed_ that the Rockets managed to corrupt them, I sort of want to let it have a go at those bastards."

"I'm sure Lance wouldn't protest."

"Ha! It's so obvious he's a goner for that girl, he'd throw them into that grave with pleasure."

XxXxX

' _Do you need to sleep more, Ashka?'_

Oberon's tail flicked as he waited for a reply, still unable to directly read his trainer's mind. He could now project his thoughts to her when he wanted, but he needed more practice in telepathic communication before they could have totally nonverbal conversations.

Stroking his ears, Ash shook her head. "I've slept enough, for now."

She was currently back in Vermilion City, Surge having put his foot down after the League discovered Team Rocket had fake nurses that had tried to steal both her Pokemon and the feathers of the Legendary birds. She was still hooked up to an IV, but her 'nurse' was a medic Surge had worked with during the war, and being back in the familiar spare room of the Gym Leader's house had allowed Ash to fully relax. That, and Lance had managed to get her to Zapdos, whose lightning purged the corruption from the Feathers while he raged about filthy, grubby human hands always out to take what was not theirs.

She leaned back against the pillows, absently running her thumb along the ribbon Titania had wrapped around her free hand, and thought back on the events of the past month, easy now that the sedatives had been flushed from her system. Her Pokemon, sprawled on and around her, were fully healed three weeks after the Viridian Disaster. She was still recovering, but she should be allowed to get on her feet soon.

The shackles that the Rocket grunts had slapped on her wrists and ankles had torn up the skin beneath them during her two-day struggle to escape after Giovanni had captured her, right after she'd won the Gym battle and refused his offer to join Team Rocket. Because of how deep the gouges she'd made in her desperation were, she would have wide scars even with the use of Ditto cells.

She had a couple long, thin scars on her back to join the older ones on her torso (both sets from shrapnel and psychic-induced explosions), and at the moment she was one big bruise still. But she was alive, and Team Rocket was finished. Lance had assured her of that, when he came to visit her once she'd been safely relocated. His golden eyes had been glowing with a cold sort of satisfaction when he told her that the League had tracked down every branch of Team Rocket in Indigo, and destroyed them.

She was pretty sure that was the only reason Samuel hadn't drop-kicked the Champion out of the room when he had Alakazam track her down and Teleport him to her. The aged professor had been frantic, having heard about Giovanni being a traitor and the leader of a terrorist organization. If Surge hadn't stepped in, she was certain that Samuel would have dragged her back to Pallet Town and forbidden her from ever leaving his lab again.

Even with all that, Ash was more focused on her team.

Her incredible, powerful, amazing team that had fought so hard to protect her, to defeat Giovanni. Her team, who had gotten terribly hurt in the process, who had displayed staggering heart and determination. Her only Water type had even evolved mid-battle, Greninja bringing forth awe-inspiring power in order to drive back their enemies.

She'd spend hours telling them how proud she was, how much she loved them.

 _And now_ , she thought with a wince, _I have to check in. I am_ _ **long**_ _overdue…_

Tapping Serena's contact on her PokeNav, Ash lowered the volume on instinct and waited for her best friend to pick up. It rang for a long time, and she'd almost resigned herself to leaving a message when the screen flickered. Serena's eyes widened, jaw dropping…

… and then she burst into tears, forcing Ash to scramble into damage control mode. It was a solid ten minutes of trying to soothe her sobbing friend, straining to make out the words scattered between heaving breaths.

" _I_ －hic _－_ _I thought s-something… something terrible h-happened to_ _－_ hic _－_ _to you,"_ the honey blonde wailed, before turning off to the side. _"Mama, it's Ashy, she called, she's here."_

Grace Yvonne was there in a heartbeat, comforting her daughter while leveling Ash with a stern look through the camera. _"Good, we were_ all _worried. Mind telling us what the delay was?"_

Taking a deep, shaky inhale, Ash found herself unable to look directly at the screen, to face her best friend and her mother. But she had to explain. And it wasn't like anyone had told her not to talk about it…

"After I earned my final badge, I found out that the Gym Leader was the leader of Team Rocket," she began, forcing herself to ignore the shocked gasps, "and he didn't like that I refused to join. It's… it was a tough battle, after I escaped. He's… him and his Pokemon are… well. The Rocket's own 'weapon' turned on them, and thanks to Lance there are no more Rockets. I'm still not allowed to get out of bed, but I should have called you sooner. I'm sorry."

" _No, I get it, a lot happened,"_ Serena rushed to assure her, wiping at her eyes. _"Arceus, Ashy, I just… you've been having a really tough time since you started your journey, you know? Even the day before…"_

" _What do you mean?"_ Grace asked, confused, and Ash's heart ached as she watched the woman hug her daughter.

"... My mom waited until the last minute to protest me going," Ash explained dully. "When I told her how much I wanted to be a Pokemon Master, she basically compared me to the man who walked out on us, told me to not come back, and we haven't talked since. I've only been back to Pallet once, and that was directly to and from Professor Oak's lab via Teleport."

Serena cringed, knowing how much being compared to that man hurt Ash. _"You didn't deserve that, Ash, you're nothing like him. That fact that your Pokemon love you so much, and that we're best friends, just proves it."_

Trying not to shrug of her friend's words in her sudden discomfort, Ash changed the subject, asking what she had missed. With a knowing look, Serena took the hint and launched into the story of her little survey adventure on Kalos' Route 4, where she and her little Mimi had their first battle against a wild Pokemon and then caught her first and second Pokemon the same afternoon.

From there, Serena introduced her new Spewpa and Ralts, with Ash holding out her PokeNav so her own team could greet the newcomers. As it was Grace's first time seeing Ash's team, she made sure each of her friends greeted the woman properly. Ash was truly happy for Serena, though, the honey-blonde girl didn't really have friends outside of Ash and Mimi, so finding more was good for her. Plus, Ash believed that Ralts' evolutionary line was well-suited to the other girl. Vivillon's, as well, and she was curious about the variations in wing patterns Serena had mentioned. Spending time with Professor Sycamore was really helping her learn a lot.

After the humans finally hung up, the time difference meaning that Ash's call had kept Serena and her mother up way late, Ash sighed.

' _That could have gone worse?'_ Oberon offered.

Snorting, she tossed a throw pillow at his head, rolling her eyes when he dodged with a snigger. She wanted to get up, to _move_ －she had training for the League to do! She'd been on her journey for almost nine months, and she only had one left until the actual League Conference itself began. Her team needed to start training again, if only to ensure nothing had been lost due to the lengthy recovery periods they'd been through.

It took three days for her to convince Surge to at least allow her to oversee her Pokemon's training, and that was on the strict condition that she stay seated as much as possible. While it was frustrating, it was better than staying cooped up in the guest room, and since he'd given her access to a private training room she didn't complain－within earshot, at least. Instead, she focused on getting her Pokemon in top shape for the upcoming tournament. She also got them some last minute moves to add to their move pool.

Oberon got Signal Beam via TM, and Ash had Pikachu teach him Iron Tail. Despite the first move's typing, he mastered it within two weeks, and then devoted his time to Iron Tail, which came easily with the extra tutoring from his teammate. For Titania, Pikachu was also tasked with teaching her Iron Tail. In exchange, Pikachu learned Protect from the two Eeveelutions.

Alto really buckled down and took her training to a whole new level, learning and mastering Dazzling Gleam, Rain Dance, Aerial Ace, and Tail Wind in three and a half weeks. Oberon helped Houndoom learn and perfect Hypnosis and Dream Eater, also giving his younger teammate tips on combining the moves and making them more effective.

Greninja mastered his Water Shuriken and Night Slash, and then took the initiative to ask Pikachu to teach him Grass Knot (Ash really thought the move was underrated, pretty much every trainer that competed seriously used big, heavy Pokemon that were very susceptible to the move). Ash was impressed with her Water type's determination; despite being the last Pokemon to join her team, he was now on the same level as her first three Pokemon, who she'd been training the longest.

As far as the order of strength went in her battle team, it was Titania, Oberon, Greninja, Pikachu, Alto, and Houndoom. Not that any of them were weak, far from it, but in spars the first four always came out on top. She couldn't wait to have them battle other opponents; she hadn't really battled other trainers for a while. Not since before her training trip to the wilds, in any case.

The days crawled by, until only a week remained until she had to report to Indigo Plateau and register to compete.

XxXxX

"Alright, runt, you got all your stuff?"

"Yes, _Dad_ ," Ash muttered with a roll of her eyes. "I'm good to go. I'll be meeting up with Professor Oak after I register my team."

"You really don't want to give me the power to ground you, runt."

"Give you the…? Ooh my mew. J-just… you didn't hear anything. You're going crazy. I never said anything."

"I'm flattered, runt, but if you spend any longer sulking in that corner you're gonna be late."

" _Shit!"_

XxXxX

"Sylve?"

Ash glanced down, smiling at Titania when she curled a ribbon around her hand. "Almost done."

"I just need your Trainer ID to confirm your registration," the woman behind the counter chirped, eyes trailing lower in clear curiousity. Amused, Ash gave Titania's ribbon a gentle tug, causing the Sylveon to hop onto the counter, her free ribbons pulling out her trainer's PokeDex and handing it over. "Oh! Why, thank you very much!" The woman's eyes sparkled as she accepted the PokeDex. "If you don't mind me asking, what type of Pokemon is this? It's beautiful!"

"She's a Sylveon," Ash explained, in too good of a mood to mind the extra interaction with a stranger, scratching Titania behind the ears, "the Fairy type Eeveelution. She appreciates the compliment."

Titania cooed, allowing the woman to pet her for a moment after she returned the PokeDex. "Syl, sylveon."

"How darling! I might just look into getting an Eevee, in that case. You're all set, here's your information and competitor dorm key. Please be at the trainer entrance at nine in the morning tomorrow, and best of luck in your battles!"

"Thanks." Pocketing the pamphlet and dorm key, Ash picked up Titania, leaning her head against Pikachu's as she retreated from the crowd of trainers. She was one of the youngest, apparently, many new trainers not having gotten all their badges in time.

She'd taken League transport to Indigo Plateau on Surge's insistence, splitting off at the front of the Pokemon League Village. Or more accurately, as soon as the car had slowed enough, she'd thanked the man and jumped out of the car, slipping away into the foot traffic. He'd probably call and yell at her later, but Ash was too pumped up to care.

This was it. She was here, at her first League Conference, she _qualified_ in her first year as a trainer, she was _ready_.

Following the map on the pamphlet, she made her way to the dorms. The large, grand buildings were more like luxury apartments, organized by age group, gender, and name. If you were part of a traveling group, you could ask to be assigned to a dorm suite with them, but since Ash was on her own she only needed a single. Quickly finding the building number, she located her assigned room and unlocked it.

Even the singles were suites, she realized, hardly noticing her two current companions jumping to the floor to explore in her shock. Walking in there was a large living room, complete with a plush couch, huge plasma screen TV, and half a dozen massive cushions, with a full kitchen to the left. On the far end was a door that opened into a bedroom, and a quick look showed a master bathroom with a tub the size of a small Jacuzzi. There was also a desk across from the king-sized bed, with a computer Ash realized was probably connected to the League's network and would be where she could research her opponents. The ceiling in all the rooms were high enough for pretty much any Pokemon to stand easily, so she quickly released the rest of her team.

Grinning as they immediately let out cries of delight and swarmed the fancy dorm to explore, she decided to relax a bit. Sending a quick message to Samuel from her PokeNav, Ash made her way to the tub for a long soak in a bubble bath. Once she was settled in the hot water, she noticed something she hadn't seen from the doorway. Off to the side, opposite the tub, was a five-foot circular pool, and she called for Greninja.

"Check that out," she said when he peered around the door, lifting her head above the tub's edge. She grinned when Greninja made a delighted noise and immediately sank into the water, bubbles appearing around his partially submerged face. "This place has pretty much everything."

' _It even has heat lamps for Fire types,'_ Oberon's voice echoed in her head, an image of Charmander and Houndoom basking beneath a pair of said lamps following the words. He rounded the doorway to the bathroom, trotting over to jump into the tub's edge. He eyed the soapy water speculatively for a moment, dipping his tail in it while Ash look on, amused. _'How deep is it?'_

"Like… two feet," Ash replied, rolling her eyes when he decided that draping himself across her shoulders would be a good idea. Sinking a bit lower in the water, she smirked when he grumbled and shifted until only his head was resting on one of her shoulders, the rest of him casually stretched out and floating. "Dork."

' _You love me,'_ he accused playfully.

"Pika pi!"

Ash closed her eyes, considering. She hadn't been expecting guests… It was probably only because she was so tired that she replied, deciding that she didn't care and she had enough bubbles to cover the important stuff anyways.

"Have Titania let them in," She called, listening as the door to her dorm opened and a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Ohh, you're even cuter in person!" Serena squealed, no doubt already all over the Sylveon. "And there's Charmander－hi buddy!－and Houndoom, and Pikachu, and Alto! Ash, where are you? Ah, Mama, Calem, you just wait here for a sec."

Ash's eyes flew wide open, tiredness a distant memory as she recognized the voice. Footsteps, and then Ash saw her friend enter the bedroom, turned the other way.

"In here," she sang out with a smile. Serena whirled, eyes widening when she realized that Ash was actually in the bath. "You guys can hang out wherever."

"I didn't think you the type to leave the door open," the honey-blonde mused, eyes practically sparkling as she inspected the bathroom's quality. She eyed the tub, then held up her finger in a 'wait' motion before walking back to the bedroom's doorway. "Mama, we'll be a bit, she's got a bathtub the size of a small pool and after that trip I want to soak too."

"There's enough space for your mom," Ash offered.

"Ohh, like the hot springs? Mama, come too, Calem you stay and keep the Pokemon company!"

"Wow, demoted to Poke-sitter already. Just kidding, you gals have your girl time or whatever it's called, I think I'm gonna take a nap on this lovely couch that's calling my name!"

"I never expected dorms to be so fancy," Grace exclaimed as she entered the bedroom, closing the door behind her. "Hello, Ash."

"Hi, Mrs. Yvonne. It's good to see you guys. I didn't know you'd be coming!"

Serena beamed as she returned, shedding her clothes with surprising speed. Her trainer belt she set on the counter, and then stepped into the tub next to Ash with a slight splash, wrapping her friend in a massive hug. Giggling, Ash did the same, drawing her knees up both to give Grace room and give Oberon a place to rest. The Espeon curled up in her lap with his front paws on her knees, supporting his chin as he enjoyed the warm water and positive emotions that flooded the room.

"Just Grace is fine, Ash. And it was Serena's idea," the woman added, also dropping her clothes off to the side and getting in, sending the two Pokemon in the room looks of amusement. "She wanted to support your first League Conference."

"Thank you," Ash murmured, leaning her head against her friend's shoulder, feeling herself truly, fully relax for what felt like the first time in months. There was small talk being made, but she didn't mind; the quiet voices and soft laughter was soothing on her worn-down nerves and bone-deep exhuastion that she just couldn't seem to get rid of.

"Ashka?" Serena's voice was startled, but a little awed. "Your, uh, chest is glowing."

"Feathers," she mumbled.

It took a moment, but then her friend made a noise of realization. "Right, you told me about that. I didn't know they glowed, though."

At some point, she figured she drifted off, but she remembered either Serena or Grace taking Oberon from her lap before the other washed her hair, massaging her scalp. They scrubbed her down with one of the soft washcloths, hands lingering around her wrists and ankles and back, and eventually guided her out of the tub and dried her off. Their hands were warm, gentle, making it easy for her to allow sleep to overtake her as soon as she was laid down onto something soft and horizontal.

XxXxX

"Team Rocket did that to her, didn't they?"

Grace didn't look over at her daughter as they dressed, Ash already in pajamas and tucked into bed, her Espeon blow-dried and snuggled beneath her arm. She thought about the question, the scars on Ash's body.

"Most likely," she finally replied, after getting herself under control. There were a lot of things she wanted to know, but knew better than to ask; after being told about what Ash's own mother did, it was a wonder Ash trusted her at all.

 _A wonder Ash trusted anyone, really._

Children, no matter how far away they ended up traveling, needed their parents. Ash, no matter how good of a trainer, or how responsible an individual, was still an eleven year old child. An eleven year old child whose mother had taken out what was clearly marital issues on her child, and told said child to not come back.

Seeing the extent of Ash's injuries, Grace suspected that the girl might have taken those words even harsher than they came across. She would have to talk to Professor Oak－Serena said that he was basically like Ash's adoptive grandfather－about having Ash see a therapist. If she was having subconscious suicidal tendencies (like approaching trouble without proper precaution) it needed to be addressed as soon as possible.

With Serena decided on taking a nap with her friend, Grace shut the bedroom door behind her and greeted some of Ash's Pokemon. At their questioning glances towards the door, she explained that their trainer was taking a nap, and then sat down next to her nephew, who had called out his Glaceon for the Sylveon to meet. Both Eeveelutions had taken over his lap, purring as they chirped at each other. Calem looked delighted.

He glanced up when she was settled, eyebrows furrowing when he saw her expression. "Everything okay?"

"Just worried about Ash… she's been through a lot. I should talk to Professor Oak, I think, about… oh, Serena mentioned Ash was supposed to meet him today, but she's asleep…" Grace absently reached for her cell phone, to call Professor Sycamore and hopefully get the number she needed. While she did that, she listened as her nephew debated with himself on checking out Ash's Pokemon with his PokeDex. A few moments later, he sighed.

"Hey, Sylveon, can I scan you with my PokeDex? Serena's always going on about how well Ash trains you guys."

"Syl," the pretty Fairy type nodded regally, sharing a smug look with Glaceon.

"Sweet."

His PokeDex beeped, before a feminine but mechanical voice spoke. _"Sylveon_ , _the Intertwining Pok_ _e_ _mon and an evolved form of Eevee. Sylveon affectionately wraps its ribbon-like feelers around its Trainer's arm as they walk together._ _W_ _rap_ _ping_ _its ribbon_ _-_ _like feelers around its Trainer's arm enables it to read its Trainer's feelings._ _It sends a soothing aura from its ribbon_ _-_ _like feelers to calm fight_ _s, and_ _it will unflinchingly charge at_ _Dragon type_ _Pok_ _e_ _mon that are many times larger than itself._ _This Pokemon is female, has the Pixelate and Cute Charm Abilities, and knows the following moves:_

 _Quick Attack, Swift, Baby-Doll Eyes_ _, Fairy Wind, Moonblast, Disarming Voice, Protect, Draining Kiss, Shadow Ball, Aromatherapy, Toxic, Dig, and Iron Tail._ _"_

"Holy shit," Calem squeaked. The Sylveon lifted her nose, every inch the proud Pokemon, and Grace just stared, phone halfway to her ear.

She'd known Ash was a good trainer, but _that_ many moves…?


	17. Chapter 17

Ash tugged on the brim of her cap as Charles Goodshow finished up his speech for the opening ceremonies. She was partially hidden in the crowd of trainers, many of them much taller than her, but that suited her just fine. Pikachu, perched on her shoulder, ensured that nobody got _too_ close with the occasional sparking of his cheeks.

It was finally time for all her team's hard work to be put to the test. She was excited to see what kind of teams and strategies they'd be up against, what sort of trainers would give her a challenge and which ones would lose without much effort on her part. She knew she was good; she wouldn't give anyone the opportunity to believe otherwise.

Somewhere, up in the stands, the Yvonnes plus Calem and the Oaks were seated, and would be watching her matches. Charmander had been handed off to a pleased Calem, who had befriended the little Fire type while she was asleep last night. She'd woken up that morning to the smell of bacon and pancakes, and a table set for four humans, and bowls for a dozen Pokemon. Ash had been thrown off by how the situation had felt like home.

She shook her head, clearing it. It was essential that she keep herself under control and focused. She didn't come this far to get cocky and mess up, even though the sheer mass of aura assaulting her senses was making focusing difficult.

She'd dampened her aura senses as far as she dared, since she could no longer bear to _not_ have at least a little idea of exactly who was around her. Surge had called it PTSD. Ash felt that label was inaccurate and unnecessary, and preferred the term 'wisely aware'. After all, she _had_ been nearly killed by Team Rocket several times, and there were dangers everywhere.

A paw gently cuffed the back of her head, and she reached up to stroke Pikachu's ears as her mind resettled into the present. He trilled, enjoying the affection, drawing a few amused looks from some of the nearby trainers as they were finally set free from the opening ceremonies. Even though she would have liked to get closer to Moltres' flame, the feathers on her chest practically singing with glee at their proximity (she'd had to hold her arms twisted up like she was clutching her jacket's collar to hide the glow), she let herself be swept along with the motion of the other trainers leaving the stadium.

"Hard to believe so many trainers came, and that only sixteen will get through the prelims, huh, Pikachu?" She murmured.

"Pika," he nodded, climbing on top of her cap for a better view.

The trainers all stopped, though, and shocked cries echoed throughout the stadium as heat billowed out from the suddenly roaring flame of Moltres. She turned in time to see the roiling flames condense and twist into the shape of a massive bird of fire, it's red eyes glowing as it stared down imperiously at the mortals beneath it. Silence fell, everyone awed by the sight of Moltres.

Moltres cawed a loud, ringing sound only once, flapping its wings and dislodging embers that scattered around. A lone feather drifted on the breeze, and Ash felt her arm lift. It dropped right into her fingers, but no one seemed to notice, thank Arceus, too busy gawking at the Legendary (though it was only a lesser copy, Ash knew). She tucked the feather next to the three she already had, and slipped away to the gate while everyone around her recovered and began to cheer.

She'd had enough of human crowds, for the day.

XxXxX

Ash exhaled slowly through her nose, blinking a few times to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. "Where did you get these?"

Titania just looked pleased with herself, sitting in a blanket nest containing four brown eggs, each with a jagged tan stripe around their middle. Seeing that she'd get no answer from her, Ash turned to Oberon.

' _They're ours,'_ he shrugged, already dragging another towel from the linen closet over to his－were they mates now? _When_? Ash didn't have the energy for this it was… she groaned after checking the clock. Three in the morning. On the day of the first round of preliminaries.

"And neither of you told me before now _why_?" She demanded. "You especially, Titania, all that training we were doing could have hurt you and the eggs! And what if you hadn't had them before the prelims?! I love you, but seriously, out of the two of you I thought you would have the sense to let me know you were going to have kits!"

Titania just turned up her nose and continued to fuss over her eggs. Ash just stared, absolutely flabbergasted, and Oberon paused in his gathering of nest materials to rub against her leg affectionately.

' _Tania knew she'd be fine, and there's no point in worrying over it now. We will need you to get some incubators from the professor to keep them in during our fights, though, perhaps you could get on that?'_

Ash rolled her eyes and went out to the living room, PokeNav in hand. If she waited till a reasonable hour, the absent-minded professor might not remember to bring them. Wake him up at three a.m., he'd be tired later but she'd get the incubators… or she could call one of the several twenty-four-hour Pokemon Centers scattered around the League Village. Sighing, she dialed the closest Pokemon Center (she'd memorized the numbers in case of emergency).

" _Hello, this is Nurse Joy from Pokemon Center B, how may I help you?"_

"My Sylveon just laid four eggs," Ash said dryly. "How she hid being pregnant this long I have no idea, but I need incubators and maybe a checkup on her? She's stubborn but I want to make sure if she's okay to battle for the tournament, if she isn't I'll be withdrawing."

" _Of course, I just need your trainer ID and I'll be over shortly."_

Rattling off the numbers, she thanked Joy and settled onto the couch to wait, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. Thank Arceus this hadn't happened later, she didn't know what she would have done if she'd sent Titania out to battle only for her or her eggs to have been hurt . She'd figure out with her two Eeveelutions what they would do with the eggs later, probably after the conference. If she kept with her plan of challenging Johto's Gym circuit next, she might have to leave them behind at the Professor's so they could raise their kits, should the two decide to keep them. She wouldn't force them to give their eggs up, she wasn't that kind of trainer.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her dorm door. She hauled herself upright to answer it, giving the bemused Nurse Joy an apologetic smile even as she guided the woman to where Titania had set up her nest.

"Titania, sweetheart, I called Nurse Joy to give you a check up, alright?"

"Syl," came the dismissive reply, but one look at those pretty blue eyes revealed that Titania was pleased with the chance to show off her eggs. Nurse Joy complimented them all, earning the Sylveon's favor quickly as she gave both her and her eggs a check up.

Once she was finished, the pink-haired woman stood and gave Ash a look of approval. "Your Sylveon is in perfect health. She must have incredible endurance, to be able to bounce back almost instantly after four eggs. You've raised her very well."

"She and her mate were my first Pokemon," Ash admitted fondly. "Neither are built for taking hits in battle, so I've always focused on their speed, endurance, and stamina. I'm glad that proved helpful to her, in this situation. Do I need to avoid battling with her? I won't need her for the preliminaries, but if she needs longer than that I'll go ahead and withdraw now."

"No, she'll be battle ready within a day or two. Although I am happy to hear that you're willing to withdraw from the conference instead of endangering her health. Just give her the preliminaries to rest, and make sure that she's able to stay near the incubators if possible when out and about."

"I can have my friends hold onto them and her in the stands, they're a big group and have seats right next to each other. Thanks, Nurse Joy, I know calling you out so early is troublesome."

"Not at all, I'm happy to be of help," Joy replied with a smile. She handed over four collapsible incubators. "You can return these to any Pokemon Center in Kanto once the eggs have hatched, or if you get your own. Be sure to get some rest, the preliminaries start in just six hours!"

With that, Joy left, and Ash wandered back to her bedroom, kneeling down in front of her first partners. "Any preferences on who you want to sit with in the stands, Titania?"

Titania turned to her mate. "Syl, sylveon. Sylve eon syl sylveon, veon veon."

' _She says Serena, and that her mother and cousin can hold an egg each. The professors can each hold one of the others, as well, since they're all sitting together,'_ he translated, finally crawling into the nest to provide a live pillow for his mate as they curled around the eggs.

"Alright, I'll let them know. Both of you try to sleep some. I'm sure the others will be surprised when they wake up," Ash added with a smile, laughing softly as Oberon's eyes gleamed with mischief. With that, she left them to rest, headed back for the living room. The rest of the team had slept straight through this whole ordeal, and she sighed.

Flipping open her PokeNav, she sent a message to Samuel and Serena, telling both about the eggs and asking if they would help her with them during the conference. Then, she set an alarm for six, and flopped face-first onto the couch in the hopes of getting a couple more hours of sleep.

XxXxX

Samuel Oak gave Ashka a pitying glance when he saw the bags under her eyes and four Eevee eggs sitting innocently in incubators on the table. Titania crooned at him from her place right in the middle of them, looking so darned pleased with herself that he didn't have the heart to ignore her in favor of comforting Ashka. He praised her and Oberon's eggs, sharing a look with Augustine who had come with him once he'd received the young trainer's message that morning.

"I see you've had quite the morning, Ashka," Augustine said cheerfully, Oberon draped across his shoulders. It would seem that they'd met before.

Ashka snorted, rubbing at her eyes. "That's one way of putting it. At least there's four days of prelims that I can catch up sleep with after my matches. I'm in the first wave." She smiled tiredly at her Greninja when he patted her shoulder sympathetically. "Thanks, bud. Can you make sure the others are up and ready?"

"Gre," he nodded, walking to the bedroom and slightly closing the door behind him. There were several thumps and yelps, before a scowling Pikachu and giggling Charmander and Houndoom followed the tall Water type back out.

Samuel chuckled at the close-knit team, proud of Ashka's accomplishments. She'd truly done a spectacular job in raising and training her team. Even if her two oldest liked to make her life difficult sometimes. Honestly, how had Titania even hidden her state for so long? At least she'd already been checked over and wouldn't be fighting until the full six-on-six battles.

"You've raised Greninja well," Augustine said to Ashka, voicing his fellow researcher's thoughts. "I'm glad you two found each other, I can't wait to see how he'll battle."

"He's been working hard, you won't be disappointed," Ashka replied, meeting Greninja's gaze with a grin. "He's one of my strongest. And－what, Oberon? Time already? We'd better get going, professors, you guys need to get to your seats too."

It was then that the Yvonne girl, Serena if Samuel recalled, burst in, excited about the message Ashka had sent her. That seemed to be the signal for everyone to pick up an incubator, and for Ashka to recall all her team except Pikachu and Titania, who looped a ribbon around her trainer's wrist.

It was time for the tournament to really begin.

XxXxX

"I feel like I lucked out with this match," Ash murmured to her starter, waiting for her time to head onto the water field. Pikachu cackled, knowing he and Greninja were both registered for this battle. So was Alto. She was curious about the type of Pokemon Mandy, her opponent, would be using. His picture hadn't given her much to go off of. His profile had a number of fairly common Pokemon listed, but she knew better than to underestimate them.

She'd already messaged what field she'd be battling in to her friends, so now all she had to do was wait for her match. It wouldn't take long, as she was the third match and the second had begun about five minutes ago. A buzzer sounded in the hallway she stood in, signaling the end of the second match.

"That didn't last long… Alright, let's go," she breathed as the door to the trainer's box opened and she walked through. Blinking past the sudden brightness, she went right up to lean on the rail of her box, eyeing the field. It wasn't big, but it had circular platforms that would prove useful. She glanced across the pool to… okay, _what_ was Mandy wearing?

"And now, the start of the third battle on the water field! On the Green side is newcomer Ashka Ketchum from Pallet! And on the Red side, a Pokemon League favorite, the Astounding Mandy! Ketchum enters alone as she faces one of the most popular Pokemon trainers, known for his exciting battle style!"

Ash eyed the clashing colors of her opponent, and his smug face, and guessed some kind of party-magician-turned-trainer.

"Each trainer is allowed only three Pokemon," the announcer continued. "Now let the battle begin!"

A bell rang, and Ash tuned out the cheering crowd as Mandy took a step forward, flinging an arm out dramatically.

"It's showtime," he proclaimed with a slight accent. "Now, Ashka, watch me work my magic! Go, Exeggutor!" His Pokemon landed on one of the platforms with a loud thud.

"A Psychic/Grass type, huh? Alright, let's go Greninja!" Ash called, releasing her friend and studying the field once more as he did a flip and crouched lightly on the platform closest to her. There were shouts of surprise at her choice, unfamiliar to most of the audience.

"Mandy is starting with an Exeggutor, but what's this? Ashka has chosen what seems to be a foreign Pokemon… Ah, it's a Greninja! A Water/Dark type native to the Kalos region!" The announcer exclaimed, and Ash sighed at the information carelessly given to literally everyone.

"A Water/Dark type?" Mandy frowned, but then shook his head. "No matter, a foreign Pokemon means nothing to my skills. Exeggutor, use Egg Bomb!"

"Intercept with Night Slash, move forward with Toxic-Ace-Slash," Ash countered. She allowed herself a smirk as Exeggutor's attack was sliced to pieces, and the large, slow Pokemon was nailed in the face with steaming purple liquid.

Greninja gave his opponent no time to recover, crossing the distance between them with a single lunge and nailing Exeggutor twice with Aerial Ace, then forming a Night Slash he twisted fully around to get more momentum behind. Exeggutor let out a loud cry as it staggered back, and collapsed. The two super effective moves along with Toxic proved too much for it, and Greninja hopped back to the platform he started from, leaving a stunned silence behind.

"Victory for the Green!" The referee raised his flag towards Ash, and she nodded. One down, two to go. If she played her cards carefully, she might be able to win this round with just Greninja.

"Good work, Greninja! Let's keep it up," she encouraged, receiving a nod and raised webbed fist in reply.

Mandy gaped at the speed of his defeat, but recalled his downed Pokemon.

"Now, the Astounding Mandy must decide which of his two remaining Pokemon he will choose to battle Ashka's speedy Greninja!" The announcer's voice was wearing on Ash's composure, too loud for her sensitive hearing. Regardless, she straightened and met Mandy's gaze from across the field.

The man waved off her win, still confident. "Hah, the kid had some beginner's luck. But her luck's run dry," he smirked, pulling a slight-of-hand with his remaining two Pokeballs and enlarging one while the other seemingly vanished. "Go, Seadra!"

The Seadra was large for its kind, a sign of its strength. But Greninja didn't even tense, and Ash trusted her Pokemon's judgement, so she quickly ran through what she knew about Seadra. It didn't have any real weaknesses against Greninja, but he knew several moves that would do some good damage.

"Her Greninja may be fast, but its no match for the speed of my Seadra," Mandy said with confidence, crossing his arms, and Ash wondered why he felt the need to provide his own narration. "Seadra, use your Agility!"

"Double Team, then use Toxic in the water. Prep for Water Shuriken," Ash ordered, quietly enough that only her Pokemon and maybe the referee could hear. Greninja complied immediately, nearly a dozen perfect copies of himself appearing. He then had all of them flip around and switch places, joining in as a wave of purple liquid was spat into the water of the pool, causing Seadra to squeal and attempt to speed up to avoid touching the growing cloud of poison, and the many copies.

When the cloud only got bigger, Seadra began to panic, and wasn't prepared for the sharp projectiles that came flying at it. It was knocked into the poison, accidentally swallowing some as it went under for a moment. Purple bubbles rose from its face, showing its poisoned status, and Mandy scowled.

"Hydro Pump!" He called out.

"Night Slash, end it." Ash said firmly. Seadra never got the chance to fire its own move, and three consecutive Night Slashes proved too much for it. The force behind Greninja's attack tossed it onto a nearby platform, Greninja's Double Team fading as it was no longer necessary, and Seadra went limp.

"Mandy's speed strategy is just no match for Ashka's powerful Greninja, as Seadra is stopped cold! Ashka may be well on her way to victory!"

"Seadra has been defeated," the referee said. "The victory goes to Greninja!"

"Now the Astounding Mandy is just one Pokemon away from defeat," the announcer continued once the cheers had died down a bit. Ash took a few deep breaths, and kept her eyes on the field, although she noted Mandy's rising anger even as he tried to hide it behind a calm face. He couldn't really hide his aura, though, so she knew he wasn't doing so well mentally in the face of a losing battle. "Can he stage a magical comeback?"

"The answer is he can, and he will. Let's see if your Greninja can handle _this_. And now, Pokemon fans, may I present Golbat!" Mandy announced, his last Pokeball doing a little light show that probably cost as much as a TM did. He should have just bought a TM. "Go!"

The Golbat, to its credit, didn't even flinch at the bright sun or the light reflecting off the water. It seemed well trained, but Ash's sharp eyes noted that its flight pattern was unsteady. Recently evolved, maybe, but regardless something that she could use to her advantage.

"This Pokemon is the ace Mandy hid up his sleeve! Now Golbat is taking this water battle sky high, there's no telling what would happen now!"

 _Yeah there is,_ Ash thought as Greninja side-stepped the dive Golbat aimed at him. She heard Mandy claim to have her Pokemon at a disadvantage, and held back a laugh.

"Take Down attack!" He commanded.

"Dodge, Ice Beam it on the pass."

Golbat swerved in the air, using gravity to increase its speed as it aimed for Greninja. Greninja scoffed at it, spinning to let it brush by a scant inch from his side and blasting it with ice, freezing Golbat solid. Golbat crash landed on a platform a few yards away, the impact shattering the ice but injuring it farther. Seeing that it was still getting up, Ash spoke again.

"Water Shuriken."

"Ninja!" Greninja nodded, forming two of the sharp projectiles and flinging them with perfect accuracy. Outclassed by Greninja in every way, Golbat fainted, swirls appearing in its eyes. Pikachu cheered from her shoulder, and Greninja raised his fist in salute as a stunned Mandy returned his last Pokemon.

"Golbat is unable to battle, victory goes to the team of Ashka and Greninja!" The referee declared, flag lifted towards Ash a final time.

"It's all over, and what a finish!" The announcer crowed. "Pokemon League rookie Ashka Ketchum has scored a stunning victory in her first match without even once changing Pokemon!"

Grinning, Ash waved her Water type back, and he launched himself over the railing of the trainer's box to sweep her into a hug. Laughing, she returned it. "You were awesome, you didn't even get hit _once_ ," she said, already stepping away from the field. The cheers were getting a little too loud for her liking. That, and Mandy seemed to be having a mild breakdown on the other side, and while it wasn't great to see someone so down or feel their aura while they were, she wasn't exactly a people person. Instead, she just caught his gaze and gave him a nod of acknowledgment for the battle before returning Greninja to his Pokeball and exiting the field.

She made a strong impression on her future opponents, or would when they reviewed this battle in preparation. She had only just begun.

XxXxX

"Whoa," Serena breathed. Her best friend had totally destroyed her opponent. Greninja had just been too fast, so much better in comparison to Mandy's Pokemon! Were all of Ash's Pokemon on that level?

"'Whoa' indeed," Professor Sycamore said from beside her, pleased. "Ashka has trained Greninja very well. She's trained him to maximize his natural speed and good senses, making him a difficult target to actually hit. And she's made sure he has quite a variety of moves to work with, as well as being very efficient with them. I'm impressed! It makes me wonder how strong Titania is, as she's been with Ashka even longer."

The Sylveon, hearing her name, simply flicked an ear haughtily, and Serena giggled.

"I'm sure she'll show us soon enough by sweeping her own battle," she said, earning a pleased purr from the Fairy type.

"Uh, yeah, gotta say Ash is a scary good trainer, especially for this being her first year," Calem added, blue eyes bright from the battle he'd witnessed. He carefully adjusted the incubator in his lap. "By the time she comes to Kalos, she's gonna destroy our League. I can't wait," he added, eager.

A family next to him, as he was sitting at the end of their group, turned to him, intrigued. The father of the family leaned around a starstruck young boy of about six, and asked, "You know that trainer?"

"She's my best friend," Serena explained, also leaning forwards so she could see past her cousin. "We came from Kalos to support her first League Conference. Are you guys here for someone?"

"Oh no, we just came to watch," the man laughed. "Your friend certainly knows how to train Pokemon."

Happy that Ash was getting some well-deserved recognition, Serena beamed. "She and her team work really hard, she's taught me a lot."

The man introduced himself and his family as Norman Maple, his wife Caroline, their daughter May, and their son Max. It was obvious that Max was much more enthusiastic about battling than his older sister, who didn't seem to like Pokemon very much at all. He was fascinated with Titania, even more so when he learned that she was Ash's Pokemon.

Seeing the way his whole face lit up when the Sylveon imperiously made her way over to claim his lap, Serena invited the family along to meet up with Ash after the first round of preliminaries. From the way the young boy reacted, it was as if she'd granted him the keys to the universe. Even eight-year-old May seemed a little interested, if only for the promised food involved.

She wondered what May didn't like about Pokemon.

XxXxX

"She's grown even more skilled since her battle with me," Blaine said gruffly from the room Kanto Gym Leaders were seated in, along with the Elite Four and Champion, several screens showing different battles from the preliminaries. "Didn't even give that magic pansy a chance."

Surge grinned. "And _that_ was just a warm up. Wait till you see what tricks her Pikachu can pull off, Blaine, I gauruntee you've never seen anything like it. Hell, _I've_ never seen anything like it, and I specialize in Electric types!"

"She's certainly grown into a skilled trainer," Lorelei mused. "I remember how shy and uncertain of herself she was when I first met her, and now look at her! She would have made a good Ice type specialist, with that composure…"

"Surge, how was she doing with that aura training of hers?" Bruno interjected, now that they were on the topic of the girl the entire League knew Lance had his eye on.

"That girl can punch through cement walls barehanded," the giant cackled, earning shocked looks and exclamations. "I've only met one other Aura Guardian, but that guy didn't use it for anything physical. Thought about trying to track down a Riolu for her."

"There is already one meant for her," Sabrina said, amused. "She'll meet it in time." No one bothered to ask, knowing that the psychic wouldn't explain further.

"... She's an Aura Guardian?" Lance asked, for once showing confusion. He didn't often give the rest of them the chance to see beneath his composed expressions, so that was a bit of a treat.

"Not quite," Bruno shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "She's got more aura than the vast majority of humans, but she's still training. And since she's mostly training herself, she's really only got the basics. I know a bit, but I've already passed it along, so she'll need a real teacher eventually. I heard Riley's in Sinnoh right now, but I'll see if I can get a hold of him."

"So Ashka Ketchum is the one to watch, then?" Flint glanced over at Lance with a smirk, who ignored him. It was the biggest open secret among the top members of the Indigo League that their Champion had a massive crush on the petite trainer, and every single one of them was making bets on how it would turn out.

"It's still early," Agatha scowled, thumping her cane on the carpet. "There are still plenty of other trainers worth watching, but we'll see the real deal in the final days of the conference."

None doubted that Ashka would be among those battling then.


	18. Chapter 18

"Your Greninja is so cool! Is it your strongest Pokemon? Are your other Pokemon that strong? Of course they are, they've gotta be! Why doesn't your Pikachu stay in a Pokeball? Is it true that your Sylveon is the first of its kind?"

"Hey, calm down a minute!" Ash raised her hands, a little defensively, at the young boy in front of her, glancing at Serena with raised eyebrows.

 _A fan,_ the honey blonde mouthed from behind him, eyes twinkling.

"Let's take this a little slower so I can actually answer your questions," Ash told the boy, amused. His aura radiated innocent excitement and awe, helping her relax a bit among the strangers who had joined the group of people she knew in the restaurant. She was grabbing lunch with everyone and Gary before their next round of matches. "First off, what's your name, and what was your first question?"

"I'm Max Maple, your biggest fan," the boy said seriously, either not hearing or just ignoring the coos coming from all the adults. "And is Greninja your strongest Pokemon?"

"He's actually tied for third with Pikachu here," she replied with a smile, her Electric type grumbling but not protesting. "My strongest are Titania and Oberon. My Sylveon and Espeon," she added to clarify. "They've been with me the longest, so I've had more time to train them. But the rest of my team are still very strong, and they're all still working to get even stronger. Now, what was your next question?"

"Why doesn't your Pikachu go inside a Pokeball?"

"He doesn't like them, and I respect his wishes because he's one of my precious friends. Besides, he's small enough that it doesn't matter if he's in a Pokeball or not."

Intrigued by her answer, it took Max a moment to get back on track, though she nudged him into a chair while he thought. Soon enough, he nodded and turned back to her. "And your Sylveon? Is she the first Sylveon?"

"She's the first recorded Sylveon, yes. It's possible that she's the first ever, but either way she's still a very rare Pokemon."

"She's very pretty," a slightly older brunette girl offered, shrinking in her seat a little when Ash looked at her. She tugged at her yellow bandanna, then at her matching tank top and bike shorts. "I'm May, Max's older sister."

"Only by a few years!"

Grinning at the display of sibling rivalry, Ash quickly exchanged introductions with Max's family. She didn't even jump when a hand snatched her cap off her head from behind.

"Hey, Gary," she greeted, holding her hand out without even turning around. He snorted but obediently returned her hat, but not before he ruffled her hair, and dropped down in a chair a few spots away next to Daisy. "How long did it take you do beat your opponent?"

"Few minutes," he shrugged, viridian irises bright with curiosity. "So, heard you got another foreign Pokemon? What beastie did you trade for this one?"

Rolling her eyes as the table quieted and turned to her, Ash waved a hand at Professor Sycamore. "Technically none. Back when Greninja was a Froakie, Professor Sycamore had brought him along on the trip we met."

"And you explained to me exactly what his issue with being a starter Pokemon was, without even bothering to look up from your training notes," the man replied dryly. "He decided he would like to stay with Ashka, so I entrusted him to her. I'm glad to see it worked out so well."

"On a side note, how long have Titania and Oberon been mates?" Daisy interrupted. "Last time I saw them, Titania was still keeping his dorky self in line via excessive force."

"Good question. One I don't have an answer to, because she surprised me at three in the morning this morning with four eggs and a very smug muzzle," Ash deadpanned, shooting her furry friend a flat look. Titania tilted her head elegantly, every bit of the motion a subtle threat to shut up unless it was to say how proud she was of her and the beautiful eggs sitting cozily in their incubators. With a defeated sigh, Ash tapped Oberon's Pokeball, releasing him so he could check in with his Queen. He levitated himself across the table and into the lap next to Titania, which happened to belong to Norman, as Titania had chosen to occupy Caroline's.

"I see Oberon's as dramatic as ever," Gary smirked. He grabbed two of his own Pokeballs, releasing Umbreon and…

"You evolved Vera?" Ash looked over the slender Jolteon with appraising eyes. "She's gorgeous!"

"And she knows it," her pseudo-brother replied with a low chuckle. Vera smirked, and she and Umbreon crawled over several laps to greet their long-time friends and fellow Eeveelutions.

"Your Pokemon are all so friendly," Norman noted, slight surprise coloring his voice as he exchanged a glance of amusement with his wife, since both of them now had two Pokemon using them as chairs.

Ash shrugged, handing a pleading Max her PokeDex to silence his begging to use it, with a quiet warning to not drop it. "Since they already know everyone else at the table, you being here puts you on their 'family' list. It usually takes them a few days to warm up to strangers, but we're all already accepting of you in their eyes, so they just follow the lead. Plus, I hear several of you have complimented Queen Titania, so of course she's decided that you are suitable subjects for her," she teased, earning a round of laughter. "Also… Serena! I haven't actually met your Pokemon yet, what gives?"

"Sorry! You were just so tired, yesterday… here." Her friend pulled out her own Pokeballs, released her team of three. "This is Mimi, Kofurai, and Felix. Guys, you remember Ashka from our calls, right? And Mimi, you already know her."

Mimi beamed in response, waving to Ash before hopping over the table to Titania and thus Caroline. Kofurai flared her white fur with a soft cry of greeting, and Felix waved before he climbed up to Serena's head, both remaining with their trainer.

"Nice," Gary said, already pulling out his PokeDex.

"Oh, how cute!" Daisy squealed. "Serena, you wouldn't happen to be interested in Contests, would you? Your team would be perfect for it!" When Serena expressed her lack of knowledge of Contests, Daisy forced Gary to switch seats with her and quickly set to indoctrinating the younger girl on the career.

Seeing that everyone was returning to their conversations, Ash glanced at May. The young girl was frowning, avoiding looking too long at any of the Pokemon and not trying to enter any of the conversations around her. Sharing a slightly concerned glance with Pikachu, Ash focused her aura senses in the girl's direction.

Wariness, mild fear, confusion… loneliness. Was she... afraid of Pokemon? Ash caught Oberon's gaze, and his eyes glowed slightly as he scanned her thoughts. A brief sentence exchanged with his mate, and when she agreed, he turned back to Ash. He nodded to her request, then stared at Daisy until the teen nodded slightly and passed the incubator she was holding to Serena with a whisper. Serena then passed it to Ash, who tapped Max's shoulder and requested a seat switch. Still busy exploring the wealth of knowledge in her PokeDex, he just nodded without looking up and stood, sliding in front of her so she could sit next to May.

"So, May," she greeted quietly. The girl jumped slightly, eyes lingering on Pikachu for a moment before she met Ash's gaze. "Ever seen a Pokemon egg before?"

"No…"

"Would you like to hold the incubator?"

"... Sure," May said hesitantly, carefully hugging the tube to her. It took a few seconds for her to realize that nothing would happen, and she then relaxed, looking at the egg curiously.

"Hard to imagine there's a baby Pokemon inside of that little egg." Ash hid a smile at the slight wonder that crossed the girl's face. For some reason, she felt like she needed to show May the positive things about Pokemon. All of the Maple family were familiar to her, that strange power making her fond of them. It was possibly the nicest sensation that power of _knowing_ had ever given her. "That's an Eevee egg, by the way."

"What's an Eevee?"

Since Max had her PokeDex, Ash just described one. "They're small, cute Pokemon with soft brown and tan fur, with pretty brown eyes. Their fur is the same colors as their egg, see? They're Normal types, but if they want to they can evolve into many other types. Titania, Oberon, Umbreon, and Vera－all the ones with your parents－all started out as Eevee. This and the other eggs are the children of my Titania and Oberon."

"They're all very pretty," May admitted after a long look at the four Eeveelutions, and then looked down at the egg with a little more interest. "Daddy spesh… spe-ci-a-lizes in Normal types. He doesn't have an Eevee, though."

"Eevee are pretty rare in most regions," Ash explained, happy to see the girl opening up and her negative aura beginning to recede. Pikachu's ears twitched, curious as to what his trainer was up to but content to watch for the time being. He slid down to her lap, nuzzling her stomach until she started stroking the fur on his back.

May followed the motion, not realizing how she inched closer in her seat. "… What type of Pokemon is that?"

"This is a Pikachu, he's an Electric type. You can pet him if you want."

"I… I'm okay just looking," May smiled awkwardly, clutching the incubator a little tighter. Her gaze flickered around the table, as if checking to make sure no one was paying attention before finally admitting to what was clearly bothering her. "I… don't really like Pokemon. I mean, I think lots are cute, but I'm not very good at being around them. I'm not like Max," she whispered. "I'm not that smart so I don't know anything about them."

"I have an idea," Ash told her, and then stood, putting Pikachu back on her shoulder, raising her voice a bit so the table could hear. "I'm gonna go see when the next round of matches will be announced. May, wanna come with me? I think they have some cute bandannas you might like to see in a stand on the way."

Confused but willing to follow along, May nodded and slid out of her chair, still holding the incubator carefully. She looked back at her parents, only moving when both nodded their permission, and followed Ash out of the restaurant.

"We're not going to check the matches, are we?"

"We will, but not yet. I wanted to talk with you first… over here, it's quieter." Ash led the younger girl to a small, out of the way courtyard with a pretty fountain in its center. Only one other trainer was there, but they were taking a nap on the opposite side. Sitting down on a bench, Ash waved May over and waited until she was settled, thinking over what she wanted to say.

"You don't have to be book-smart to be good with Pokemon," she said finally, startling her companion. "You don't have to know a bunch of facts to enjoy their company, either. Sure, it helps, but you don't have to know _everything_. Your brother seems to have a lot of information memorized, but you know what? That won't help him interact with Pokemon. Pokemon aren't stats you can memorize, they're living creatures who are just like humans. They have things they like and don't like, they have their own personalities. They make friends just like we do, they have rivalries, and they have hobbies just like we do. For example, my Pikachu loves ketchup. That's not in _any_ book about Pokemon, but its his favorite treat."

May stared at the yellow mouse for a long moment, before her face screwed up as she tried to hold in giggles. She failed, bursting out into gleeful laughter that rang out in the soft breeze. "K-ketchup? Really? Why _ketchup_?"

"Who knows? But do you see what I mean? You don't need to feel bad for not knowing a ton about Pokemon, because there's always something new to learn anyways. You can take things at your own pace. It doesn't matter if it takes you longer, or you end up doing things differently than everyone else. You aren't them, they aren't you, and that's okay."

"Pika pi," Pikachu nodded, jumping down to the bench between the two girls, motioning to first the egg, and then May. "Pika pika chu!"

Confused, May looked to his trainer, and Ash smiled as she put together what her partner was trying to convey. It was a good idea, but she'd have to ask Titania and Oberon first. "I think he's telling you that maybe you should make a Pokemon friend of your own. You don't have to be a battler," she added, seeing the protest building. "Serena has Pokemon, but she doesn't battle. They're her friends, and yes they _can_ battle but its mainly for protection. Some trainers battle, some compete in Contests, others travel and see the world, and others just enjoy the company of their Pokemon. Just think about it, okay?"

"... I guess," May said thoughtfully, looking back down at the incubator.

"Alright, _now_ let's go check out the matches and those bandannas I told you about. Let me know if you see one you like, I'll get it for you since you went along with my little speech."

XxXxX

Ash sighed at her opponent as he sent out his last Pokemon, a Poison type. Oberon's tail twitched, amused, his paws tucked beneath his chest as he loafed on the top of one of the many large rocks littering the field. He had yet to move from his chosen spot, having used his psychic abilities to one-shot both of the previous Pokemon sent against him.

"And the Red trainer chooses a Nidorino! How will it fare against the young Pallet trainer's powerful Espeon?"

"Not well," Ash muttered. "Oberon, put it to sleep and have at."

Cackling, Oberon used Psychic to force Nidorino to meet his gaze, using Hypnosis and following up with Dream Eater. The red energy was leeched off the Poison type, quickly absorbed by Espeon. In a matter of seconds the sleeping Nidorino was exhausted, and the referee called the match and Ash's victory.

His work done, Oberon levitated himself back to his trainer, circling her lazily and high-pawing his partner in crime before returning himself to his Pokeball. The crowd cheered at the display, and Ash had to wonder at her luck so far. The preliminaries were intended to weed out the weakest, she knew, but she'd been matched with some borderline rookie trainers. It set a very high standard for her, one she intended to uphold as the competition got even harder. So far, she had yet to have a single Pokemon defeated, and had swept her matches with the same Pokemon she first sent to the field. Only three of her Pokemon, Pikachu included, were known to the public.

"What a display of power! Ashka Ketchum will now move on to the third round of this Pokemon League competition!"

Holding up a hand to the crowd, she nodded at her opponent and left the field. Tomorrow she would continue her prelim matches, on the grass and ice fields, and from there she'd need to research her next opponents even more carefully, although until the main rounds of the competition there wouldn't be much available. She was hoping she wouldn't go against Gary until the main rounds, but she still needed to be prepared just in case.

 _At least we're back to being proper friends,_ she thought as she made her way to the Pokemon Center for a routine checkup. Gary had given up on his strange concept of rivals after her first near-death experience. Plus, Max had been keeping his spare time occupied, as both were total nerds and Gary had lots of Pokemon for Max to meet and fawn over. On the other hand, May had decided that Ash made a good surrogate sister, so when she wasn't with Daisy or Serena she was attached to Ash's hip, often holding the incubator of the same egg Ash had first offered her to hold.

Despite Ash's worries, Titania and Oberon had found her idea acceptable; they'd even gone a step farther and offered one more egg, to make things fair, so long as Ash promised to arrange visits. Seeing as she would be challenging Hoenn's League anyways, and Norman was apparently a Gym Leader there, she had no issues with it. Luckily, all four eggs were due to hatch soon, as all the walking around and being doted on had ensured they would hatch quickly. May had even shyly asked Professor Oak to teach her how to help care for them, and despite her fears she caught on quickly.

After her stop by the Pokemon Center, Ash made her way back to Samuel Oak's large house in the League Village. Due to his position, he owned a lot of property, and thus everyone had migrated towards spending their free time at the literal mansion. There was plenty of space for the Pokemon to all be set loose, and while Ash and Gary had taken care to keep as much of their teams a secret from each other as possible, they still let everyone else meet their Pokemon.

Ash also had received several messages from Surge and Lance, congratulating her for winning her matches so far and wishing her luck. Surge had also told her to keep winning just like she'd been doing, because he was winning a lot of money off of her and he wanted to keep it that way. Of _course_ he was betting on her. She wasn't even surprised.

She was greeted at the door by an excited May, dragged to the large living room where Titania was curled around her eggs. All four of them were softly glowing at regular intervals.

"How long?" She asked Samuel, kneeling down by her partner and scratching behind her ears, earning a hearty purr.

"They've been glowing like that for an hour or so," he informed her. So just as her last match of the day had started, then. "I expect, given their good health and the excellent care Titania has been giving them, and the addition of young May's efforts, that they should hatch sometime this evening. This is quite exciting, it's very rare for Pokemon to have so many eggs all at once, and for them to hatch so close together! It's a very nice opportunity for us to observe, we're grateful Titania has agreed to let us watch. Oh, Ashka, I received a call from some acquaintances of yours? A Misty Waterflower and a Brock Harrison. They were wondering if they could visit, as they said they haven't seen you in a while."

Surprised, it took Ash a moment to respond. She hadn't exactly forgotten about her previous traveling companions, but it had been months. As they _had_ parted on good terms, she didn't have any real problems with them. And… now that she thought about it, it would be nice to catch up with them. They'd been good traveling companions.

"Yeah, sure. We traveled together for a bit when I first started my journey," she explained to the many questioning faces. "They're both former Gym Leaders. Are they going to come here?"

"I invited them to dinner with us, as Grace has so graciously offered to cook for our ever-growing group," Samuel said with an amused smile. "That Brock offered to help, though, so they should be here soon."

"Brock's a fantastic cook, everybody, so we're lucky." She announced. She grinned as Charmander darted over, cheering. "Yeah, you really loved his homemade Pokemon food, didn't you? I'm sure he and Misty will be happy to see you."

It was Norman who spoke up next, from his spot on the nearby couch. "It sounds like you were pretty good friends, what made you split off?"

"... When I first got Charmander, actually. Back then… Charmander's first trainer wasn't a good person, and was an even worse trainer. I needed to focus a lot of my attention on helping Charmander recover, and when you travel in a group you kind of want to interact with those people, right? I didn't have a lot of spare time, or the energy to talk to them, since I was really worried about Charmander and getting him healthy again," she explained, a little lost in those memories. She'd also been wary of humans in general, far more than she was now. It startled her to realize just how much she'd opened herself up to interacting with people. "Anyways, they understood my situation so we ended up exchanging info and going our separate ways."

"What did Charmander's first trainer do?" May asked, honestly confused. "What even makes a bad trainer?"

"He would hurt Charmander on purpose," Ash told her, very seriously to impress the severity of her words. She was relieved she could talk about this in her little Fire type's presence now, as he now understood that none of it had been his fault, and he was happy with her. "He didn't feed him enough, he beat him up, and then he abandoned Charmander by telling him to wait on a rock for him when it was going to rain.

"Misty, Brock and I found him on that rock before the rainstorm and convinced him to at least take shelter at a nearby Pokemon Center until the storm blew over. That's where we found Damien, bragging about how he abandoned Charmander. Damien was a terrible person, and even said that Charmander should have stayed out in the rain and died.

"It hurt Charmander very badly, because he loved his trainer like most Pokemon do. We made sure Damien was reported and arrested by Officer Jenny for Pokemon abuse, but Charmander took a long time to recover." Ash took a deep breath, rubbing the smooth scaled on Charmander's head. He warbled, leaning into the touch, eyes telling her that it was okay to continue. Smiling at him, she glanced up at a wide-eyed and horrified pair of children, Max having slowly approached during her story.

"Charmander was only recently hatched back then, so the abuse he went through caused some permanent damage. It's why he wears that Everstone; evolving could actually kill him. He's not allowed to battle, either, his body's too frail. But he's a very important part of my team, isn't that right, Coach?"

Charmander nodded, chortling, having accepted his lot in life and making the most of it. He'd found his place, and found joy in the family they'd built together. At Titania's soft croon, he scampered over to her, nuzzling her face affectionately, and curling around her eggs to help warm them.

Ash turned back to May and Max, resting a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. "A trainer is responsible for their Pokemon's well-being. They are our important, precious partners and friends, so it's important to treat them well. Sometimes, we meet bad people and bad trainers. If you find out that they are mistreating their Pokemon, you should tell the nearest Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny so they can help those Pokemon."

"We will," they chorused, and Max added, "I'll study the laws about Pokemon abuse so I can make sure to help the most I can."

"That's the spirit," Ash smiled, ruffling his hair, and then let out the rest of her Pokemon. Pikachu, seeing that the serious lecture was over, jumped over to May. She'd gotten over her wariness of most Pokemon, or at least the ones that didn't _look_ scary. The girl giggled, carrying him over to the rest as they gathered around their Queen.

As if sensing the mood needed lightening, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Serena called, already on her feet and walking down the hallway. Ash could hear the two familiar voices, and Serena's cheerful greeting as she let them in. "Misty and Brock are here!"

Standing up, Ash moved towards the hallway, smiling when the two rounded the doorway. Misty brightened, going in for a hug, to Ash's surprise. Still, she didn't pull away until the redhead did, and then clasped forearms with Brock.

"Long time no see," Brock grinned, Misty nodding in agreement. "How've you been?"

Ash laughed a bit as she nodded. It had been about four months, at least, since she last saw them. "Pretty good. Had a few adventuring mishaps, but everyone's intact so all is well. How've you two been? Come on in, get settled, we've got a lot of people here so get ready to do some story-telling," she joked as she ushered them into the living room, her words causing May and Max to shuffle in anticipation. "Charmander, guess who's here?"

"Char?" He lifted his head from where he'd been snoozing, half on Titania and half on Houndoom. "Charmander!"

He was up in a flash, sprinting over to say hello to the humans he remembered helped rescue him. Both the older teens immediately crouched down to greet him, obviously happy to be remembered and missed.

"You've certainly recovered well, Charmander, your scales look great," Brock praised, inspecting the small Fire type with experienced hands. "And your tail flame is hot and bright, good."

"I'm happy you've gotten better, Charmander," Misty added with a smile, receiving a happy chirp in response, and then her eyes trailed over to the little crowd of Pokemon a few feet away. "Oh my gosh, Ash, when did Titania have eggs? How cute!"

Ash retold that little fiasco for the entire group, and then the topic eventually gave way to the 'story time' the youngest kids were so eager to hear. Even Gary, Daisy, and Calem joined in with their own memories of traveling. As entertaining as most of them were, it was actually an innocent request from Serena that sort of blew Ash's 'cover' of having a normal journey like the rest of the trainers.

"Oh, Ashy, tell us about how you found Mimi! You said you got her in the Safari Zone here, but you didn't give any details."

"I actually lucked out my first day exploring," Ash admitted. "Pikachu took point, guiding us around some of the more problematic Pokemon there, and since we weren't in any hurry we just sort of wandered. It's a real pretty place, the biospheres are super well done, and we took a break near a river. I'd set out some Poffins for a few of the Psyduck and Slowpoke in the area and had some Poke Puffs for me and Pikachu that Mimi must have smelled. She hopped out of the bushes and right over to us. Pikachu talked with her a bit, I offered her a Poke Puff, and that was that. Once I said Serena could make them too she was all too happy to be caught and sent over."

The shiny Buneary nodded, oblivious to the dark look Pikachu sent his trainer. Ash tried to shrug it off, but Gary paused, eyes narrowed.

"Wasn't that the same day you ended up fighting off Team Rocket?" He accused.

Ash winced, the motion translating as a guilty expression to the gathering. "It wasn't my fault! They sprang up out of nowhere by the lake and tried to capture all the Dratini. They already knew I was there, so I sort of had no choice. It's not like they would have just let me run off to report them…"

"You earned yourself a concussion and a hospital trip," Samuel frowned, lightly scolding. "I'm glad you were willing to protect those poor Dratini, but you really do need to be careful."

"Wait, you had _more_ encounters with Team Rocket?" Serena demanded. "Ash!"

"It wasn't my fault! I didn't go looking for them, stuff just _happened_!"

"That's when you turn around and _run_!"

"And get sniped in the back? No thanks!"

"Ugh, Professors, please, do something about this trouble magnet…"

"I tried," Samuel said dryly. "She ended up meeting Legendary Pokemon and then getting into even more trouble. Speaking of, who wants to see a picture of Lugia?"

With everyone sufficiently distracted, Ash breathed a sigh of relief, although she stiffened when Brock and Misty dropped down to the floor on either side of her, effectively cutting off escape.

"So as soon as we're not supervising you, you go off and get into life-endangering situations with a criminal organization?" Brock murmured, concerned and a little upset.

"At least you're alright," Misty sighed, but glanced at the long-sleeved jacket Ash wore. "You're not wearing that because you're cold, are you?"

"... No. But nobody else besides Serena and Grace have seen the scars yet, and I'd kind of prefer the kids to not see them at all."

"Come help me out with cooking then, maybe make some of those Poffins," Brock said, pulling her to her feet. He spoke loud enough for the trio's departure not to draw suspicion, and Ash trudged along behind him with Misty bringing up the rear after she told them where to go. She accepted her fate, despite regretting what was about to happen.

Brock waited until they had finished pulling out the things she'd need to bake. "How bad?"

With a wince, she slowly peeled off her jacket and training gloves, avoiding meeting either of their gazes as her mess of scar tissue was exposed. She knew the ones on her wrists looked terrible, several inches wide and still fresh-looking despite the Ditto cells. Since she only wore a tank top beneath, it was easy to see how the scars continued across her back and sides. The four feathers on her chest pulsed with soft light and warmth, comforting, even as the former Gym Leaders gasped.

Tanned, calloused hands gently took her own, turning her forearms this way and that as they inspected the scars there. "Ash, these are from _shackles_."

"... I was the one who exposed Giovanni," she whispered, shuddering as flashes of the fights surfaced. "After I beat him for his Gym Badge, he wanted me to join Team Rocket. When I said no… it took me a few days to escape and rescue my team, and then I had to fight him again, and… the same Pokemon that sunk the SS Anne, they called him their secret weapon, I managed to get him to listen to me. To show him that Team Rocket was using him like a tool. He… dealt with the Rocket base, and got me to safety, but I was already beaten to hell and back, so there was only so much healing Ditto cells could do."

"Oh my Mew." Misty pulled her into a hug, and Ash let herself relax, to accept the comfort offered. "Brock…"

"Yeah. Ash, you know we can't just walk away now that you told us, right?" At her raised eyebrow, he gave her a lopsided grin. "You're going to challenge other Leagues, right? We'll go with you. With your luck, you'll need all the backup you can get. Besides, friends should stick together. You can tell us the rest of your 'little misadventures' later, okay?"

Friends…

"Alright," she said, unable to say anything else. The day had proven to be a bit too much for her.

From around the corner of the doorway, viridian and viridian met crystal and ice blue, and four trainers slipped back to the living room, a silent promise exchanged.


	19. Chapter 19

"Ash! Ash, look, the eggs are glowing!"

Pulling herself away from helping Serena look up some basic move pools for her Pokemon, Ash let May drag her over to Titania's nest, absently burying her fingers in Alto's feathers. May's voice had gotten everyone's attention, and now it was clear to see that this was the moment they'd all been waiting for.

The light pulsed, brighter and brighter each time. With four eggs, soon it was too bright to look at, so Ash instead extended her aura senses, excited as four small auras flared. There were loud cracking sounds, and a moment later the light faded, revealing four little Eevee kits snuggled up to Titania's side.

As planned earlier, right after dinner, everyone came forward in groups to meet the new babies and congratulate Titania and Oberon. The kits were friendly and playful, immediately bouncing around after memorizing their parents' scents and faces. Ash noted that the one that hatched from the egg May had gotten attached to (she was able to tell because of the little Eevee's aura signature) began following the girl around, trying to get her to snuggle with it. A quick glance to the side showed that Max had also bonded with one of them, the kit sprawled in his lap and purring up a storm. Both of those kits' auras were flaring with happiness, already mingling with their chosen humans. The other two were prancing between the rest of the humans and Pokemon.

"Ne, Mr. Maple－"

"Just Norman is fine, Ash," he stopped her with a grin. "That makes me feel old."

Giggling at that, she continued, briefly checking to make sure the kids weren't listening. "Titania, Oberon and I talked this over yesterday… It's not possible for us to keep all four of the Eevee, but they trust May and Max, and think highly of them. If it's okay with you, I'd like to let them pick one of the Eevee to keep. I figure a good, solid Normal type would be acceptable to you," she added with a slight note of teasing. "And Eevee are sturdy, easy to care for Pokemon for beginners, despite being rare."

As Caroline gaped at her, Norman considered it, searching her eyes. Whatever he was looking for, he must have found it, because he finally nodded. "If you've already agreed on this with your Pokemon, I don't have any reason to say no. You've actually been a big help to us, with May especially. She's never been enthusiastic about Pokemon, until you gave her that little talk. She told us about it last night," he explained. "I'm grateful you've been so accommodating to my children, and us."

"They're good kids," Ash shrugged, and then called both over. They were both carrying the Eevee carefully, and the kits were content just being with them. "Do you like those Eevee?"

May nodded, cuddling the one in her arms, her blue eyes bright with happiness. "This one is super sweet, and has such soft fur!" A quick pulse of aura confirmed to Ash that they had bonded, something that she'd found was pretty rare among those who couldn't use aura.

"This Eevee is great too," Max said, giggling when the Eevee reared up to lick his cheek affectionately. Another aura pulse showed their bond already forming, as well. "It's so friendly!"

"Would you like to keep them?"

The siblings' eyes bugged out, jaws dropping as they looked from their Eevee, to Ash, and back and forth several times.

"You mean it?" May whispered. "You really mean it?"

Ash smiled softly. "I do. Your dad already approved it, are those the Eevee you want?"

Both of them nodded, speechless but overflowing with joy. In a few moments, Ash knew, they wouldn't be able to contain themselves, but she didn't mind. As she'd told Norman, they were good kids, and she knew they would make great trainers one day.

XxXxX

Samuel Oak was by no means a cruel man. He knew very well that sometimes, people had been pushed farther than they could take, and sometimes snapped. He also knew Delia Ketchum very well, and that her husband's actions had hurt her badly.

They had also hurt Ashka badly. When he found out what the woman had said to her only daughter, he'd been furious. Yes, Delia had been frightened, hurt, upset and not ready to let go of her child, but that did not give her the right to hurt Ashka in turn. Those few words had left Ashka wary of others, lonely and unable to grasp the concept of trust. It was as bad as it had been when her father had first walked out, if not worse, because it came from the only parent she had left.

He'd been so happy that over the course of the year Ashka had healed, had made some more friends and learned to open up. Why, she'd even progressed to being able to interact as a mentor of sorts! The Maple children looked up to her, and her group of friends very much, and it made him proud.

The message he received later that night, hesitant and sometimes inaudible or just tears, was hard on him. He cared for Delia like he had for his own children, and he cared for Ashka as he did for his grandchildren. And despite what happened, they both cared for each other, and both were hurting and wanting to go back to how things were.

He just wasn't sure if they could.

XxXxX

"Iron Tail," Ash called out to her starter, her keen eyes seeing that Cloyster's Withdraw wasn't effectively trained; the silver glow was only on the outermost layer of the Pokemon's shell, none inside. Like she suspected, Pikachu's attack easily overpowered the defensive move, and he finished it off with a Thunderbolt that knocked Cloyster unconscious. Landing on the ice carefully, Pikachu grinned, excited at this battle being his turn to sweep their opponent.

"Ugh, Cloyster, return!" Pete's eyebrows furrowed as he put Cloyster's Pokeball back on his belt, a little shaken by how quickly his first two Pokemon had been taken out, and with such ease.

"Ketchum's Pikachu smashed right through Cloyster's defense," the announcer exclaimed. "Now, with just one Pokemon left, will Pebbleman choose an Ice type or a Water type?"

"Go, Arcanine!"

Pikachu looked back at his trainer, expression clearly saying ' _really? Is he for real?'_. Ash just shrugged as the massive Fire type materialized on the ice, body heat already causing the ice beneath its feet to melt and jeopardizing its footing.

"And a big surprise! Pebbleman's chosen Arcanine, a Fire Pokemon!"

"Prep Grass Knot," Ash instructed, causing Pikachu to smirk and start to focus the Grass type energy. Like they'd practiced, he began to summon Grass Knots all over the battlefield, lurking just below the surface of the ice. The only reason she knew where they were was because she could sense the higher aura levels of the move among the 'background noise' of the ice. "Out-speed it if necessary, Discharge when able. Don't get hit."

When Pikachu made no move, Pete threw out his arm. "Arcanine, show them your Dragon Rage attack!"

 _Arceus, you'd think these guys would realize that it doesn't help them to pretend like their acting out a movie,_ Ash thought with slight huff. Her opponents kept wasting their own time with unnecessary words and simple moves that didn't account for counterattacks.

Arcanine didn't even use the speed its kind were famous for, instead running at an easy lope while it charged up its attack. It was slow, probably only recently learned, maybe even during the competition via TM. It didn't have a solid grasp on the Dragon type energy, and it was easy prey for Grass Knot.

Grass Knot raised around two of Arcanine's paws, sending the large Pokemon tail-over-paws. Seeing his chance, Pikachu lunged, slipping into Agility and a sustained Quick Attack to seemingly vanish from his icy platform and reappear on top of the stunned Arcanine, whose Dragon Rage had fizzled out.

"Pika," her starter squeaked cheerfully, right before blasting Arcanine with a few hundred thousand volts of electricity. Lightning crackled alongside booming thunder, a pillar of light blinding the stadium for a brief second before Pikachu ended the attack, his opponent fainted and still melting the ice beneath it.

"Arcanine has been eliminated!" The referee declared, and Ash thought that just maybe the man sounded amused. It had been the shortest match of the day… "The victory goes to trainer Ashka Ketchum!"

Pikachu gave a happy cry, using his unbelievable speed to 'appear' on her shoulder, then climbed to her head to wave at the cheering crowd. Beaming, she snatched him back down to hug, murmuring praises for his hard work to him. He trilled back, just as pleased as she was. So far, so good, three rounds of perfect wins. Next up was her final preliminary round, on the grass field, which she had to win to proceed. Already planning the three Pokemon she would register, it took her a moment to find her group. The Oaks, Calem, and Max had gone to watch Gary's match, so it was smaller than she realized.

"Congrats, Ashy," Serena said just before throwing herself at the shorter girl. Ash spun them to prevent falling, Pikachu opting to leap to the safety of Misty's arms.

"Nice win, Pikachu's improved a lot since you battled me," Brock nodded at her. "So, what Pokemon are you registering for your next match? Even if you only end up needed one."

Smirking slightly at that, Ash took a moment to consider. "Well, even though he just battled, Pikachu is a given; he's got a really good move set that will work well on the grass field, and he's nowhere near tired yet. But for the rest I'll have Houndoom, and Alto. I think I'll try to save Alto for the main competition, though, she and Titania are sort of my hidden aces. So, it's Houndoom's time to shine."

"His sheer size is a good intimidation factor," Norman agreed as they headed for the grass field, the group discussing Ash's matches so far and the jump in skill to expect once the preliminaries ended. A few minutes out from the grass field, Ash split off to register her chosen Pokemon and head to the waiting area for trainers. Giving Pikachu a Poffin to give him a boost just in case, Ash checked her PokeNav.

Gary had won his match, and his next was practically right afterwards, so they'd meet up later. Mentally wishing him luck, she scrolled through her messages. Samuel wanted to talk about something later that night, Surge told her to keep up her perfect winning streak, Serena wished her good luck on her last match, and Lance told her to remember to rest properly once her last match was over. Sending back a round of 'thank you's to the well wishers, she briefly wondered what Samuel wanted to talk about, but soon enough shelved the thought and made her way up for her match.

Her opponent, Jeanette Fisher, was a crowd favorite, even though Ash could hear her own name being chanted in the stands as well. Filtering out the excess noise, she waited for the call to start the battle.

"Our next trainers are coming onto the grass field for the fourth round," the announcer's voice blared throughout the stadium. "The Green trainer is Pallet Town's Ashka Ketchum! And now, the Red trainer is coming out onto the field!"

Ash blinked as a red carpet was unrolled from the opposite entrance, and then mentally groaned. Why couldn't she get _normal_ opponents? First the magician guy, now this dramatic entrance? _In with a bang, out with a bang_ , her mind offered, but the only solace that gave was the thought of beating this girl as thoroughly as she had Mandy.

When the girl entered, looking mild and dressed up in a formal kimono, with an assistant showering her with flower petals, Ash decided to vent her frustrations gathered from days of being trapped in the large crowds properly. With fire.

"Jeanette Fisher from Crimson City!" The announcer shouted.

"I am honored," Jeanette stated. Ash just inclined her head to acknowledge it, and fought the urge to roll her eyes at the cheering squad behind her. At least Gary had decided against getting his own, she didn't think she could tolerate his ego otherwise.

"It looks like our opponents are ready to face off!"

"Trainers, go!" The referee raised his flags to signal the start of the match. Both girls threw out Pokeballs at the same time, with one Pokemon quickly recognized at the real threat.

Houndoom let out a deafening roar, spitting a cloud of Embers just for show. Jeanette's Beedrill looked decidedly nervous at its opponent's respectable height of nearly six feet－he'd grown since his evolution. Seeing the expression on Jeanette's face, Ash held in her laugh.

This would be fun.

XxXxX

"And Jeannette is doomed," Serena declared, earning a few chuckles from her group. "Apparently she's a self-proclaimed Grass type specialist."

Brock winced in sympathy, but kept his eyes on the field. Ash and her team had really grown in leaps and bounds since they'd split off in their travels, and so far she'd proven leagues above her opponents in skill and power. There was no doubt the gap would close once she rose higher in the tournament, but at the moment she was making quite the impression.

He did wonder just how much of her growth had been forced by her numerous near-death encounters, but the fact that she had survived them spoke volumes of her will and dedication. So he watched this last match closely.

"Beedrill, Tackle attack!"

Alright, so this Jeannette's strategy needed… work. Even though her beauty was perfect.

Despite the microphones placed in the trainer boxes, so far Ash had been speaking lowly enough that the spectators couldn't make out her commands. This held true, but the result was clear. Houndoom let the Beedrill get close, and then twisted around its body at the last possible second to chomp down on Beedrill's wing and back with a devastating Fire Fang.

"Houndoom is really good," Misty noted. "He's so fast, even though he's huge!"

Serena agreed. "Yeah. He also has a lot of tricks to use, though I don't think Ashy will show them here. He's got a really huge move set."

As Brock watched the Fire/Dark type use a Foul Play that knocked out Beedrill within seconds, he reminded himself to ask Ash just how she trained her Pokemon. And maybe ask to see her PokeDex, he was curious about the move sets of all her Pokemon.

"Beedrill is out of the match!"

"Alright Ash!" Serena cheered. "Keep it up! Go Houndoom!"

 _For such a quiet-seeming girl, she sure does cheer loud,_ Brock thought, amused, but sharing the sentiment.

"This one won't be so easy!" Jeannette snapped. "Go, Scyther!"

Even from this distance, Brock could see that her Scyther wasn't exactly at its prime. Young, a little ungainly, it probably hadn't had the time to build up its muscles for speed or power. It was likely strong enough naturally that she didn't realize it was no match for someone of Ash's skill level.

"Let the battle begin!"

"Scyther, use your Slash attack now!"

For once, Ash's voice was audible through the speakers, and Brock winced at the command.

"Counter."

Scyther was going too fast to stop itself, and Houndoom took the blow head on with a slight sheen to his body, and the force was returned with twice the damage. Scyther shrieked as it was sent flying back, landing heavily on one of its wings.

Again, Ash's voice could be heard. "Flamethrower."

Houndoom opened his mouth and released a very narrow, very hot stream of fire at Scyther, with perfect accuracy. Houndoom cut off his attack a few seconds later and Jeannette quickly recalled her fainted Pokemon.

"The Scyther has been defeated," the referee announced.

"Jeannette's down to her last Pokemon as she's forced to play catch-up with Ketchum!" The announcer crowed, hyping up the crowd.

Jeannette seemed to be losing her composure, flinging out her last Pokeball with much more force than her previous two. "Go Bellsprout!"

"Uh-oh. She should just forfeit now," Serena said with great concern.

"Why?" Grace turned to her daughter, an eyebrow raised.

"Because Houndoom hates Bellsprout."

As if on cue, Houndoom let out a furious screech, snarling at his opponent. Bellsprout faltered at the sudden aggression, glancing back at its trainer uncertainly, but it held its ground.

"This looks like a desperation move by young Fisher," the announcer noted in surprise.

"Bellsprout, get ready!"

"Restrain yourself, Houndoom. Hide in plain sight, then you can play grimy and heat things up."

Ash's words caused a confused murmur to sweep through the crowd, at least until the battle resumed. When Bellsprout didn't move, Houndoom bared his teeth before spitting out a thick Smog, covering the battlefield, and suddenly it made sense. Bellsprout let out a startled cry as the field was covered by the Smog. Well, at least up to Bellsprout's height, Houndoom still loomed above the poisonous clouds. And then he lunged forwards to deliver a Foul Play and end the match with an Ember that ignited the Smog.

When the burst of flames died down a few seconds later, Bellsprout was unconscious, and Houndoom looked overly pleased.

"Bellsprout is out of the match, and the fourth round victory goes to Green trainer Ashka Ketchum!"

Jeanette returned her Bellsprout to relieve its pain from the obvious burns, turning on her heel to walk out of the stadium clutching the Pokeball to her chest. Ash raised her hand to accept the cheers, then leaped over the railing of her still-elevated trainer box only to be tackled by a happy Houndoom, his tail wagging rapidly as he licked her face.

Brock silently went over the match again as he clapped for Ash's win. Her battling style was becoming clear; speed, accuracy, and not giving her opponent a chance to actually attack. Of course, Ash didn't slack on strength, defense, or stamina, but it hadn't yet been needed. She planned ahead to overwhelm her opponents quickly and efficiently, and if Serena was to be believed had given her Pokemon a wide variety of moves to control the flow of battle. She was also creative, as that improvised 'bomb' proved. But she was also holding her cards close, only displaying a few moves for each of the four Pokemon she'd revealed. A smart strategy.

Her upcoming matches would no doubt show just how skilled she was.

XxXxX

"I told you she'd be the one to watch," Bugsy said with a smile as he entered the lounge where the Kanto Gym Leaders were going over the day's matches. On the screen showed the last few seconds of Ashka's final match, and the Bug type specialist eyed the Houndoom shown approvingly. "I see she's raised Houndoom even better than I'd expected."

"That thing's a beast," Surge grunted, eyes eager as he continued. "And the runt owes me a rematch."

Lance shook his head, although he was smiling too. Ashka had truly dominated her matches. While it wasn't a real display of her ability, it spoke of high intelligence and skill to get through the preliminaries as fast as possible while still keeping as many secrets as possible. She had yet to use her Altaria and Sylveon, which would no doubt be nasty surprises for her future opponents where bulky, power-focused Dragon types were common. He was looking forwards to seeing how far Alto had progressed since he last saw her. She was truly a magnificent dragon, and no he was not biased due to her typing _or_ her trainer.

From the way Sabrina smirked at him, she had caught that last part. He scowled and looked back to the screen to watch the following match. So far only a handful of trainers had caught the eyes of the League, but the tournament was far from over. The Top 16 round was coming up after two rest days, which is when the real show would begin.

He grinned, baring the fanged canines common in his clan. He might even get a challenger this year.


	20. Chapter 20

Ash left Pikachu inside with the others later that night, leaving Samuel's place to go on a walk. Her thoughts were tangled and she wanted to clear them before the rest days began, so she could actually make use of them, and the distant bustling of the League Village provided a soothing 'static' in the background of her aura senses. Samuel's little talk with her had thrown her off guard. Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the present.

She'd passed the preliminaries as planned, and would now be progressing to the Top 16 round. She was excited, of course, proud of her team, but… Ash sighed, glancing up at the star-dotted sky. When she had first decided to challenge the Indigo League, she'd been eight years old and had fully believed her mother would be there in the stands, cheering for her.

She had the Oaks, though their focus was split between her and Gary. She had the Yvonnes, somehow, who came all the way from Kalos to support her, even Serena's cousin who she hadn't even known about until they met up with her. And now she had the Maple family, who had become her and Gary's fans in the conference and good friends besides.

It wasn't the same. She wanted to hear her own mother's voice in the stands. But… that wouldn't be happening. If she really dug deep, she knew that she was sort of to blame for that; after all, she did listen to Delia's words and not come back. She hadn't called her, hadn't sent a letter, had basically…

Ash froze mid-step.

She'd done the same thing her father had.

Suddenly feeling nauseous, Ash stumbled slightly and quickly hurried over to the nearest wall to steady herself. She'd walked out and never come back, _just like her father_. She'd abandoned her own mother, proved her right, oh Arceus _how could she have_ －

"Ashka…?"

Head jerking up, she whirled to face the one who'd spoken, eyes widening when her vision confirmed what her ears had told her. Delia stood just a yard or so away, looking pale and fragile. Her clothes hung off her, like they were just a size too big, but just last year they'd fit perfectly… Ash quickly ran her eyes over her mother's form, heart aching as she realized how frail she'd become. Her beautiful amber eyes were a little sunken, face slightly gaunt, and she looked like she hadn't been eating properly for months.

"Mom," she started, taking a step forwards before she hesitated. What if she just made it worse? What was she supposed to do? How could she _fix_ what she had clearly broken? Ash steeled herself and opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

Ash blinked, because her voice had somehow developed an echo. _No,_ she realized in shock, unknowingly mirroring Delia's expression, _we both said it._

"No, Mom, it's fi－"

"Let me finish," Delia burst out, eyes watering. "I… please, just… hear me out."

Swallowing hard, Ash nodded, clutching at her jacket's hem, shoulders hunching instinctively. What else could she do?

"I didn't… I shouldn't have said what I did." Delia's voice cracked, and her lips trembled, but she pressed on. "You are _not_ like him, you didn't deserve to be treated like him."

Ash spoke before she could stop herself. "You're wrong. I know it now, I just realized… you were… what you said was right. Because I _didn't_ come back, or visit, or call or write. I… I did the same thing _he_ did." She tried to say more past the lump in her throat, but it got stuck. Her vision blurred, and she tried to fight back the tears that burned hot in her eyes.

"Oh baby… no, that's not… The only reason you didn't is because I said that terrible thing and hurt you," Delia whispered, feet taking her a couple steps forward even as her arms made an aborted motion to reach out. "I know you, Ash, you would have. If I hadn't been stupid and said that terrible, _absolutely untrue_ thing, you would have called me every time you could."

That made Ash pause, because… she _had_ intended to call every time she could. But… "I thought you wouldn't want me to, after… I-I thought you just didn't want me to be around at all if I wasn't going to stay home."

"Oh Mew, that's－no, honey, never!" Delia broke their standoff, striding forwards to sweep her daughter into a tight embrace. It scared Ash to find that her mother's grip was weaker than it had ever been, and that Delia was shaking as she stroked her hair and rubbed her back. "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry, Ash, I never should have tried to stop you. You were always meant for great things, I _knew_ this, and still I… I wasn't ready to let you go…"

"I'm sorry for leaving after a fight," Ash said shakily, before her voice failed her and she dissolved into muffled sobs. All of this hurt, just because they both hurt from her father walking out… it should never had happened like this, and they both knew it. "I should have… should have just talked it out with you in the morning…"

"I'm sorry for causing it." Delia was crying now too, both Ketchums clinging to each other. "My baby girl… you deserved better than a bitter woman like me…"

"No, Mommy, you were trying, I just didn't want to see you struggling－"

"I'm your mother, I should have held it in. I could have talked to you about your journey sooner, instead of springing my feelings about it last minute the way I did. I should have. You… y-you were so excited," she hiccuped. "You were so happy to go win those badges, and achieve your dreams… and you did, baby, you did! You're so much stronger than me, you went out and got those badges, and now you're in this big tournament… I'm so proud of you. I'm so sorry I hurt you, and maybe I don't deserve it but I am so proud of you."

Ash pressed her face into her mother's shoulder, sharper now with the weight she'd clearly lost, and tried to control her breathing. Her aura senses were going haywire in her emotional state, but because of it she could feel Delia's aura so deeply, so overwhelmingly. Her mother was sorry. She was filled with regret and grief and self-hate and love, with guilt and relief and just. So much love.

There was no doubting her sincerity. Not when Ash could feel it in her very soul. And there were a lot of things she could have said right then; that she forgave her, that everything was alright, that they would figure it out.

"I love you," Ash said instead.

Delia inhaled sharply, holding her tighter. "I love you too, Ashka. More than anything."

They stayed like that for a long while, as if catching up on all the months they'd missed together. It was only when Delia started to shiver that Ash pulled back a bit.

"C'mon, it's getting cold," she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. Grabbing her mother's hand and twisting their fingers together－Delia's were too thin, far too thin and frail－to lead her back to Samuel's house. On the way, Ash snatched Delia's bag, refusing to give it back. Her mother's lonely suffering had left her weak and out of shape, so it was better that Ash carry her things. Even then, Delia was panting softly by the time they arrived.

"Mom," she began, worried by her state. "… are you..?"

"I'll be fine," Delia said, once she'd caught her breath. It was obvious she was lying. Ash's growing unease at her unhealthy state tripled, then, her aura senses practically shrieking now that she wasn't focused solely on the emotions between them. Delia felt… off. Sickly. And it scared her.

So Ash redirected any leftover frustration to Samuel Oak, because _he lived in the same town dammit_ , he should have _told_ Ash about how bad off Delia was, no matter what had gone on between them. That in mind, Ash flung the door open and stalked inside.

"SAMUEL OAK," she bellowed, shocking her friends and all the Pokemon out of their relaxed sleepiness. "YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO."

XxXxX

Serena was always one to worry over her friends, and to support them through tough times. When Ash had told her about Delia's words that day, she'd been furious. If she'd known Ash's address, she would have sent the woman a letter giving her a piece of her mind.

Now, Serena was a little glad she hadn't been able to.

The woman sitting next to her looked, to be polite, unwell. Like someone had sucked the life out of her. The more time Delia spent with Ash, the better she seemed, but it was clear to see that the months without being in contact with her daughter had nearly destroyed her.

And watching Ash rip Professor Oak a new one in front of everybody over how he should have told her that her mother wasn't doing well… it was a little terrifying. And it showed with heartbreaking clarity that no matter how much Delia's words had hurt her, Ash loved her mother with every cell in her body, and she would defend her till her dying breath. It took a few hours, but eventually the story came out.

When Ash was young, her father had abandoned the family, leaving behind two broken hearts that only had each other to hold themselves together. When Ash decided to go on a journey, Delia panicked and wasn't ready to be alone, so she lashed out. The ten months of separation were far harder on Delia than they were on Ash (though they were still very painful for Ash), but it was for Ash that she'd come to try to apologize and set things right. And Ash, being Ash, only took about an hour to fully forgive her, because she understood the reasoning and both acknowledged their mistakes in handling the situation.

Serena had even more respect for Ash, now. Delia too, because it took courage to go back to the person you hurt and tell them you were wrong. Even if you had to crawl the whole way.

It took Ash's Pokemon longer to accept the apology and forgive, but Titania finally stepped forwards and wrapped a ribbon around the woman's wrist as a sort of peace offering. Whatever the Sylveon sensed when she'd done so had alarmed her, and she'd spent the rest of the night cuddled up to Delia with her two remaining kits.

Now Serena was just worried about Delia's health, and the affect it would have on Ash.

XxXxX

 _Is everything alright? I understand that it's the tournament, but you are usually very quick to answer messages._

Ash took a moment to consider the question in Lance's latest message. It was evening of the second rest day, and she'd spent both of them standing or sitting as close to Delia as possible while she integrated her into the 'group'. That afternoon, though, she'd set aside for just the two of them (and her Pokemon), so they had stayed in Ash's dorm, cooking and baking and just enjoying each others' company again.

She had also, finally, told Delia about what had happened on her journey, from seeing Ho-oh to her escape from the leader of Team Rocket to her flawless victories in the prelims. She hadn't wanted to reveal her scars, at first, but Delia was insistent.

"I need to know," she'd said tearfully. "So I know how much I need to make up for."

Ash sort of understood that, and she sort of didn't. But she let her mother fuss and fret and mourn, gentle hands inspecting every single blemish on her body. Then they'd snuggled on the bed and napped, seven Pokemon acting as both blanket and pillow. Currently, Delia was using the dorm's kitchen to make dinner, and Ash was curled up on the couch with Alto's head resting atop her shoulder. Finally, she typed out her reply to Lance.

 _I'm not sure. Very emotionally difficult past two days._

His response was almost immediate.

 _What happened_

She raised her eyebrows at the demand, but because he was obviously worried for her she let it slide.

… _My mom came to apologize for what she said the day before I started my journey. I'm not gonna say what, we've moved on from it, but seeing her again after so long of hurting was really hard. She isn't looking too good either, I'm worried._

The delay was noticeably longer, this time, but she wasn't surprised. She'd never spoken about it to him, and he knew her well enough to know that she didn't do things halfway, emotions included.

 _Is there anything I can do?_

Ash smiled a bit at that, touched by the offer.

 _Nah, I think I just need to ride it out. Thanks, though._ She thought a moment, and then added, _Well, maybe recommend a doctor? I don't know what's wrong with my mom but I can't just leave it be… Seeing her like this is scary. It'll just be a battle and a half to get her to see a doctor, aha._

Glancing over to the kitchen area as Delia hummed to herself, Ash's eyes dimmed when frail fingers slipped on the knife, something that had never happened before that Ash could remember. Alto chirped softly at her, sensing her distress. Reaching up to stroke her plumed head, Ash sighed, looking back to her PokeNav when it buzzed.

 _The League has several medically trained Alakazam that could… subtly check on her. I could drop by? A purely professional visit, of course, I'm sure any parent would want reassurance that Team Rocket would no longer be a threat to their child._

Ash was unable to hold back a short bark of laughter, causing her mother to look over.

"Just a few messages," she explained, waving the PokeNav. Then she hesitated. "… Mom? You know how I told you about the… the Viridian Gym?" When Delia stiffened and nodded shortly, she said, "Now that we're okay again, the Champion wanted to talk with you. Something about a follow-up, since I was involved. Would you mind that?"

"I do have some things to discuss with him, yes," Delia replied.

"Okay, I'll let him know."

 _When?_

Apparently, the answer was _now_ , because two auras appeared right outside her dorm door, and a heartbeat later she heard a knock.

"That was fast," was all she said, getting to her feet to let Lance inside.

He let out a strangled noise when she opened the door, and it was then she realized that, at her mother's request so as not to be ashamed of her body, she was wearing a tank top that showed off pretty much every scar aside from the ones at chest and rib level. Golden eyes darkened, distressed, and his hands jerked, as if he wanted to reach out only to forcible stop the action.

Delia narrowed her eyes for a split second as Ash quietly directed him and Alakazam into the kitchen, and the young trainer shivered as the temperature seemed to drop. Oberon jumped onto the counter, walking right up to Lance and rubbing his face all over the Champion's black shirt, leaving a bit purple fur behind. Ash sighed. "Oberon, you dork, stop shedding on the Champion. Go back to the nest."

"Espe." He flipped his tail at her but obeyed, sulking away to his Queen and kits.

Seeing Lance's attention freed, Alto hopped over, demanding to be petted. The Dragon master laughed lowly, the sound making Ash shiver for some strange reason, and gently pushed her back.

"It's nice to see you too, but I'm here on business, Alto. Another time," he promised. Alto huffed, but dragged her beak through his scarlet locks a few times and returned to the couch, scooping up Charmander and distracting herself with mothering the small Fire type. That settled, Lance met Delia's gaze and visibly steeled himself, slipping into his Champion persona.

"Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the fact that due to the League's initial inefficiency, your daughter was hurt in several encounters with Team Rocket. It was only due to her bravery and skill that we were able to wipe out the organization, and it is to my regret and shame that it took her being put in such dangerous situations to enable that." He lowered himself into a deep, traditional bow. "I assure you, it will never happen again. It should not have happened to begin with, but that is all I can promise you. You and your daughter will also be compensated for all three of her encounters with Team Rocket."

Ash started at that, having heard nothing of the sort. Confused, she was about to protest when Delia held up a hand to shush her.

"Your apology and compensation are accepted," Delia said smoothly, "but it is to go to my daughter, who was the one truly affected. And her life better not be put in such danger again. Now stand up straight, I'd rather you look me in the eyes than stare at the floor."

Lance did as told, and Ash suddenly had a bad feeling at the look in her mother's eyes. She'd never seen it before. It was like watching an Ariados about to snag a helpless Caterpie in its web, unsettling and worrying, and Ash decided that she very much disliked it.

"Now then," Delia said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

And Ash stared, absolutely flabbergasted and heart maybe beating weirdly fast, as Lance _blushed_.


	21. Chapter 21

"Why Magikarp?" Ash whispered to Pikachu, even as she tossed the bait into the little pool in front of the registration desk. Her starter shrugged, ears twitching, and as soon as she felt a bite she reeled in the Water type.

"A-3," the attendant noted. "Alright, that means your opponent will be… this trainer!"

"Ritchie," Ash read off the monitor. Glancing around, she didn't see her opponent in the area, so she shrugged and headed for the Indigo Stadium. She caught a glimpse of red hair and abruptly darted away, face burning as the previous night resurfaced in her mind.

 _Lance thinks I'm cute_ , her traitorous mind whispered gleefully. After Delia had asked his 'intentions' he'd stammered out something to do with her being cute and brilliant, and also maybe a date. When Delia had pressed for more, he'd mumbled that he wanted Ash to fight him at full strength and then beat him, before he'd squeaked out an inaudible excuse and _fled_. Delia, after a shocked silence, just started laughing, harder than Ash had ever heard her. As for Ash, she just stood there, baffled and confused and flattered and maybe also blushing, but she'd been trying to push the memory out of her mind all morning.

Ash ducked into a nearby alley and pressed her hands to her flushed cheeks. She couldn't focus like this, she had to focus! She didn't come all this way just to be defeated by her own stupid brain telling her she might have a crush! Even IF she did, now was _not_ the time to think about it.

"Pika," her starter jeered, knowing exactly what she was thinking about.

"Oh shut _up_ ," she huffed, finally regaining enough control to let her blush die down and start walking again. "See if I let you battle today, after that attitude."

Instantly apologetic, Pikachu whined at her, pawing at her face and pleading. She snorted, ruffling the fur on top of his head. "We'll see. Depends on what this Ritchie kid sends out, I think."

Still pouting, Pikachu buried his face into her jacket collar, tickling her neck with his fur. Giggling, she made her way to the stadium. She was the third match of the day, so it wouldn't be too long until she was called to the field. The waiting room was full of trainers she didn't know and that had already formed groups prior to her arrival, causing her nerves to flare up, and even Pikachu's soothing patting of her cheeks wasn't really working.

Fidgeting with her PokeNav, she paused. Despite… whatever had happened last night… it wouldn't be a bad idea to make some small talk with Lance while she waited.

Right?

XxXxX

"She's never going to talk to me again."

Surge's laughter echoed through the lounge, drawing attention from both Kanto and the few Johto Gym Leaders who'd managed to visit for the competition. Sabrina's face screwed up like she'd taken a bite out of something far too sweet, soft spluttering giggles escaping no matter how hard she tried to stay quiet. Shoving the Champion's PokeNav back towards him on the table, Surge smirked.

"So what, you embarrassed yourself in front of the girl and her mom? Man up!"

"Her mother asked me what my intentions were." Lance continued to lean face-down on the table. "I told her I wanted her daughter to beat me up."

At this, Sabrina lost the battle and started howling with laughter, no doubt seeing the event directly, having to lean against the wall to remain upright. Surge didn't blame her, this was the funniest fucking thing he'd heard in a long time. Add to that the fact that he _knew_ the girl the young Champion was crushing on, and he had enough blackmail material for _years_.

Bugsy whistled lowly, shaking his head slowly as he tried to imagine the scene. "You have got it bad, Lance. If you like, I can have my bugs dig you a deep hole to hide i－ow!"

Lance turned his face back to the wood, and Surge grinned because the teen had revealed his blush and there were cameras in the lounge. Ignoring Bugsy's complaint about throwing things like children, the giant prepared to dish out some merciless teasing, only for Lance's PokeNav to chime.

The redhead _lunged_ , practically diving across the table to check the device, and Sabrina choked a little, now wheezing and out of breath. Curious, Surge leaned over to read the screen, a dark, malicious smile spreading across his face when he saw who the message was from.

"Get a text from your girlfriend?" He leered.

"Shut up," Lance said absently, a dopey grin on his face. Oh damn, that might be more than just a crush. He might actually have to give the Champion the shovel talk for this one. So long as he could pull it off without the girl knowing, that runt had some freaky psychic shit without actually being psychic.

Still. Blackmail.

XxXxX

Ash tuned out the announcer's voice just enough so that she could mentally scream at herself. Why had she sent a wink face? Had she attempted to flirt? With the Champion, of all people? What was _wrong_ with her today?

 _Ugh, I'm channeling Daisy,_ she groaned internally, shaking her head and gazing out at the plan field. It was much larger than the others, and minimal, but this was the Indigo Stadium. Now if she could just focus on that fact, rather than the semi-risky message she'd sent minutes before, that would be great.

The referee declared the start of the battle, and she sent Greninja out. Her opponent, Ritchie, sent out a Butterfree called Happy. Ritchie was saying something, possibly to her, but she couldn't quite hear it above the ringing in her ears.

"Greninja, please win this, I'm so out of it right now," she pleaded softly, just enough for her friend to hear her and give her a confident nod. She relaxed slightly at that. "I'll try my best to help, but do what you need to if I'm not saying anything."

She was glad there were no microphones down here. That would be terrible.

Ritchie called out something, and his Butterfree started to shed powder from its wings. Some kind of status move, then.

"Wide Bubble," she instructed, nodding to herself when Greninja did so with perfect aim, causing the powder to collapse to the ground. So long as her Pokemon kept their face away from the ground and didn't kick anything up, they'd be fine. "Ice Beam, hit the wings."

"Gre!" Taking a breath, Greninja blasted out the freezing energy and nailed the Butterfree on its left wing and side, sweeping the beam across to get the rest. It didn't freeze it solid, but Butterfree was now squealing and stumbling on the ground, unable to move properly.

"Pound," she added.

Greninja let out a short laugh before doing as told, one quick blow to Butterfree's head taking it down for the count. He moved back as the bug was withdrawn, waiting for his next victim－opponent. Opponent, just because he was ridiculously eager to battle didn't mean he was seeking victims. Or so she was pretty sure, her head wasn't quite on straight.

Ritchie sent out a Charmander next, which nearly made Ash yell at him. Who the fuck used an unevolved, _base_ level Pokemon in a League Conference? (A part of her soul seemed to shuffle awkwardly. She ignored it). Sighing, she decided on mercy, unable to cause a Charmander so like hers any more damage than necessary.

"Aerial Ace it to finish," she said, noting the Charmander's speed as it dodged a few swipes before attempting to land a hit with Flamethrower. Greninja simply leaned away and then resumed his assault once the flames flickered out. To its credit, it took nearly six full blows before the Charmander finally collapsed.

Another flag raised her way, another beam of red light soon followed by a new Pokemon. This one was a Pikachu, and she couldn't help but grin.

"Free reign," she called out once the referee told them to continue, and she could _feel_ Greninja's dark glee at that. He and her own Pikachu were rivals, after all, so he knew how to deal with the small, agile Electric types. Plus, he hadn't yet been able to get a solid lead on their little contest of spars, so he could get a feel-good win in this one.

Greninja ended up toying with Ritchie's Pikachu for about a minute under the guise of 'seeing all its tricks' before nailing it with two consecutive Night Slashes. Ash decided to see if she could teach him one or more of the elemental punch moves, to give him some more variety. It was worth a shot.

With her lone match of the day won, she quickly swapped with the next trainer and slipped away into the stands to find her group. Maybe she could finally get her brain under control, as she really did not want her path to end in the Top 8. She was going for as high as she could possibly go.

XxXxX

"How do you two feel about advancing to the Top 8 round?" Caroline's blue eyes flickered between Gary and Ash, and the gathering of friends and family eagerly awaited their replies.

"All according to plan," Gary said easily. He looked at his rival/sister expectantly, nudging her shin with his foot to get her attention when she just stared blankly at him. Frowning at how that startled her more than normal, he glanced at Daisy, Serena, and Calem. They seemed just as concerned. Ash had been acting weird ever since that morning, and while she'd won her match it was obvious that _something_ had happened. "Oi, Ashy-girl, what gives? You getting sick?"

She blinked Noctowlishly, shaking her head slightly. "No, sorry. Just have a lot on my mind…"

"Does it have anything to do with this guy you've been messaging?" Max asked curiously, causing Ash to nearly fall out of her seat as she whirled. Her face went bright red and she spluttered as she tried to get back her PokeNav, which she had let Max fiddle with as a sort of bribe to keep him from talking her ears off.

Holding back a smirk even as he relaxed, Gary quickly leaned over and snatched the PokeNav－how had Ash gotten one, anyways?－out of the boy's hands. He scrolled up through the messages, jumping up to dodge the grabby hands of his pseudo-sister as his grin got even bigger, although he narrowed his eyes at the notion of Ash actually dating anyone.

No. She was too oblivious, vulnerable in terms of romantic relationships because of it, and no way in hell was he just going to let some guy waltz in and take advanta－

He finally reached a message with an attached image from the mystery man, and it took a few moments for him to recognize the Champion of Indigo. When he did, he slowly looked over to Ash. She wilted just a little at the look on his face, clearly awaiting some sort of teasing.

"No," he said firmly, raising a finger to point at her to drive his words into her dense skull. "Not allowed. I swear to Mew, Ashy-girl, if you've been dating the _Cham_ _－_ "

"SHUT UP!" She lunged at him, forcing him to stop talking and start running, and he could hear the panicked edge to her voice. "I'm not dating _anyone_ , give back my PokeNav!"

 _She doesn't even realize he's been flirting with her,_ Gary thought, incredulous.

Then again, if she _did_ date Lance, he would have a better chance at getting training tips…

XxXxX

Top Four.

Somehow, eleven-year-old Ashka Ketchum was about to battle to decide whether she'd achieve fourth place or move forwards in the Indigo Conference. Gary had been defeated last round by a conference veteran, but only by a thin margin, and she was now about to face another veteran with a large number of Pokemon to his name. She didn't know what to expect, because he'd been using the same strategy she was; hit hard, hit fast, and don't show your hand until the last possible moment.

On her shoulder, Pikachu shifted restlessly. Her last match had been the first true challenge in the entire conference, and she'd been pushed enough to use Pikachu, Greninja, _and_ Oberon, although none had fainted or been deemed unable to battle. This match, though, she and her team were sure that they'd be pushed like they'd never been before.

From what little information there'd been on her opponent, one Chris Dogen, she knew that he'd been a trainer for nearly ten years. He came from Sinnoh, had been offered a Gym there but had rejected it in favor of traveling, and he'd participated in seven League Challenges, slowly creeping his way from eighth to his most recent second place, in the Lily of the Valley Conference. The only Pokemon he'd used so far in the Indigo League were his massive starter Empoleon, a powerful Luxray, and a Lucario that rivaled her own team's speed. From past League records, he had a Sneasel (or Weavile, by this point), a Tangrowth, a Mamoswine, and a Rhyperior, but his trainer page showed he had many more to pick from that he'd just never needed to use.

Here, it was becoming clear, was where Ash herself had dropped the ball. She had wanted to focus on building a small team of massive strength, but in doing so had left herself open to an easier defeat at the higher levels of competition; only Alto and Titania had yet to be revealed to the public, and there had been plenty of time to research the other four members of her team. She'd have to fight smart to win this match.

"Red Trainer, send out your first Pokemon!"

Ash had the bad luck of being chosen to start off the match, but she didn't let her nerves show. With a short nod to herself, she threw out Greninja's Pokeball, the tall Water type immediately shifting to a battle-ready stance. Ash watched as Chris released his Empoleon, the massive Water/Steel type landing on the field with a loud cry. Letting out a slow breath, Ash was glad Chris hadn't started with his Luxray; Pikachu was one thing for Greninja to battle, but Luxray had a lot more muscle power to back up its electricity.

She studied the Sinnoh starter carefully in the few seconds she had before the referee told them to begin. The Empoleon was powerful, there was no doubt about that, and experienced. Bright, intelligent eyes glittered across the field, sizing up Greninja, but the Empoleon never once shifted or gave away its thoughts. It remained calm and calculative. Such a Pokemon was not to be underestimated, as it had a decade of experience under its belt.

"Be careful, Greninja," she warned, excitement bubbling up to her throat. "This is going to be a battle to remember!"

XxXxX

May could only stare with mixed fear and awe as she watched Ash's battle. She could barely believe that the Greninja currently fending off Empoleon's Metal Claw with a Night Slash was the same Greninja that had played house with her and her new Eevee just last night. He was so strong! Even though Empoleon was so much bigger, he was even faster, and he kept knocking all of Empoleon's attacks off to the side.

She didn't really know much about battling, but even she could see that this was a high-level battle. Both Pokemon were throwing out so many different attacks she could barely keep track, and craters were being left behind any that missed and hit the ground! There was so much water on the field, with all the rain falling－she hadn't even known Pokemon could make it rain!－and then a bright green vine tripped Empoleon, giving Greninja the chance to land a bunch of super fast attacks.

Eevee was shivering in her lap, as if frightened by the battle. May couldn't blame him, but an idea was slowly forming in her head. When Ash first gave her that talk about taking things at her own pace, she'd mentioned that some trainers just traveled. May knew that her parents wouldn't let her travel alone, not when she was just starting out, but… Ash had said she'd be challenging Hoenn's League after Johto. Just two years from now, and coincidentally when she would be old enough to become a proper trainer.

If Ash had already agreed to travel with Serena when she went to Kalos, maybe she would let May tag along when she was traveling through Hoenn. Ash was obviously strong enough for it to be safe, so her parents would have no reason to say no, right?

XxXxX

"I don't believe it." Calem gaped down at the battlefield, as Ash's Greninja managed to take out Chris' Luxray before finally fainting himself, exhausted from battling two powerful Pokemon in a row. "And she said Greninja was only her third strongest?!"

As Oberon appeared on the field opposite a solemn-looking Lucario, the whole stadium looked on in confusion as the Lucario seemed to stare straight past its opponent to Ash, and then bow lowly. Chris seemed just as baffled as the rest of them, even more so when Ash bowed back.

"That Lucario must have sensed Ash's aura," Serena explained to their group. "I know she's been training with it."

Making a mental note to ask more later, Calem struggled to follow the extremely fast-paced battle on the field. Oberon was Teleporting everywhere, at a speed that even the aura-sensitive Lucario was having trouble keeping up with. A Metal Sound only slowed the Espeon down enough for the Psychic type to fire off a Disable and a Confusion that only partially worked. Still, it was enough to buy the Espeon time to prepare a Hypnosis that put the Lucario under in less than five seconds.

Oberon then whittled away at Lucario's health with Dream Eater, Shadow Balls, and barrages of Swift. Every time Lucario managed to wake up, he'd hit him with another hypnosis. A brutal, but effective, tactic. But Ash hadn't won yet, and the anticipation had him on the edge of his seat.

He really couldn't wait till she came to challenge the Kalos League.

XxXxX

"Let's do this, Alto!"

Ash grinned wildly as her dragon flared her wings proudly, drawing gasps from the spectators. Chris' ridiculously fast Weavile had defeated Oberon, Houndoom, and Pikachu, leaving her two aces as the only things standing between him and victory. With Pikachu resting near her feet, Ash couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a difficult battle that wasn't life-or-death, and the thrill was rushing through her body, pulse roaring in her ears as she fell deeper into what could only be euphoria.

"Dazzling Gleam into Rain Dance!" She called out. Alto's agreement rang out across the air, her body enveloped in a pinkish-white light that radiated outwards until Weavile screeched in pain. While it recovered, the massive Altaria let out another cry, summoning a rainstorm below her as she flew. "Coat it with Toxic!"

The attack was quickly absorbed by the rain clouds, soaking through and hitting Weavile almost instantly. There would be no avoiding the poison when it was literally raining from the sky. Ash let Alto avoid battling up close and personal with the partial Ice type, waiting it out and letting Toxic do its work.

"Weavile, use Ice Beam on that Rain Dance!" Chris shouted.

Eyes lighting up as her opponent's Pokemon _froze_ the rain clouds, causing them to fall and shatter on the ground, Ash was practically vibrating with glee. This, _this_ was the type of battle she longed for!

"Now use Hail!"

"Steel Wing to shield yourself, then use Moonblast!" She countered, holding back a wince as the sharp chunks of ice pelted her friend. Alto pushed through it, charging up several Moonblasts and flinging them at the exhausted Weavile. It still managed to dodge, only being clipped by the last one, yowling at the slight impact. The extended assault had brought Alto much closer to the Dark/Ice type Pokemon.

Seeing his chance, Chris was quick to direct his Pokemon. "Icy Wind!"

Swearing silently, Ash narrowed her eyes. "Dragon Pulse!"

"Altaa!" With a defiant shriek, Alto dove directly into the Ice Wind and came out the other side to deliver a point blank Dragon Pulse, finally taking out Weavile, if leaving her much weaker than Ash would have liked. Alto quickly shook the ice and snow off her feathers, launching herself back into the sky to wait for her next opponent. Two more. Two more Pokemon, and she would win. She only had Titania left after this, but Alto wasn't down and out yet.

"That dragon's weak, Bouffalant, we can take it!" Chris yelled, releasing a truly impressive specimen. The Bouffalant was massive, horns sharp and gleaming in the light. It's hooves gouged into the dirt with little effort, a hint to its strength.

"Long range, girl, start with Perish Song!" Ash commanded, smirking when Bouffalant was unable to avoid getting tagged by the red glow. Chris realized that his chances of winning were dropping with that move, and he grit his teeth.

"Double Team, then Hyper Beam!"

Ash waited till the last possible moment. "Mirror Move!"

It was pure luck that Bouffalant had dropped its Double Team the instant it set the powerful beam of light loose, allowing Alto to send her own Hyper Beam directly into Bouffalant's. For a long, tense moment it seemed they were evenly matched… and then the attacks exploded, forcing Ash to shield her eyes. She reached out with her aura senses, exhaling heavily when she realized that it was a double knockout. Once the smoke cleared, the referee called it.

One more.

"Alto, return." She rubbed her thumb across the surface of her friend's Pokeball. "You did amazing. Alright, it's all up to you Titania!"

"Sylve!" Titania held herself like the Queen she was on the torn-up battlefield, looking down her nose at the Mightyena Chris called out. The Sylveon's reveal caused a wave of murmurs to break out in the stands, and the announcer was quick to comment on her rarity.

"Double Team and then Take Down!" Chris ordered his Pokemon, voice sharp and face grim. Both trainers knew that this was it, this was their last chance to win.

"Fairy Wind." Ash's voice carried easily to her partner, who complied instantly. Titania whipped up the Fairy type energy with as much force as she could, knocking Mightyena back and destroying the copies. The Dark type howled, baring its teeth. "Disarming Voice!"

"Oh no you don't, Hyper Beam!"

"Protect!" Ash called, squinting against the bright light of the attack as it crashed against the green barrier Titania threw up at the command. When the light died down, Mightyena was closing in fast. "Dig! Then Moonblast!"

Diving into the ground, though Ash was sure to get an earful later about daring to get the proud Fairy type's fur dirty, Titania all but vanished. Mightyena remained vigilant, ears twitches and paws light as it tried to predict where Titania would surface. After a tense minute, Mightyena barely had time to widen its eyes before an angry Fairy type rocketed out of the ground directly beneath it, delivering a direct hit with a Moonblast to its soft underbelly. Mightyena landed heavily on its side, struggling to get up at its trainer's urging.

Hope welled up in Ash's chest, but she would take no chances. "Drain Kiss!"

Titania, with all the grace of royalty, delicately leaned over to press her nose to the top of her opponent's head, a pink glow surrounding them both. The super effective move was the last straw, and Mightyena collapsed to the ground, unmoving. A second ticked by, then another.

"Mightyena is unable to battle!" The referee declared, and suddenly Ash realized that the crowd was cheering. "Victory goes to the Red Trainer, Ashka Ketchum!"

"We won," she whispered, a bright smile spreading across her face. "Titania, you did it!" She carefully picked up Pikachu and leaped over the box railing, scooping up her friend and murmuring praises while Titania nuzzled her face, and that of a still-sleeping Pikachu.

Ashka Ketchum, trainer of barely one year, had secured Third Place in the Indigo Conference. But she had no intention of giving up there.


	22. Chapter 22

"Congrats, Ash, that match was amazing!"

Similar phrases washed over her once she had made it back to Samuel's estate after a trip to the Pokemon Center. She'd had to dodge an unbelievable amount of reporters, all of them wanting to interview the 'rookie' that had made it to the Top Four and was still not done, but she had finally gotten to safety. Pikachu was still asleep in her arms, and she gently pushed her way through the crowd of her friends and family to set him on a couch cushion.

Once he was settled, she accepted the hugs and gave an extra tight one to Gary. Getting matched up with a more experienced trainer just happened sometimes, it was only natural in the higher levels of the competition, but he'd still done extremely well in getting into the Top Eight. He was still a little put out that he'd lost, though. Gary took it in stride, and turned the attention back to her.

"Alright, so we all know you're probably on a bit of a winner's high at the moment, but you've been out of it for at least half of the League, so spill," he demanded once everyone was settled in the living room.

Sighing, Ash went over the issues that had already been sorted, the ones she refused to talk about, and the one she could spin as the real big deal. "I told you guys about me learning to use aura, right? It's my aura senses, with so many people here its overwhelming. I can sort of dampen it, but once you've learned how to sense auras you can't exactly turn it off."

"Oh dear, I never considered that," Samuel fretted. "Yes, I can see how that would be a constant distraction… Is there anything we can do?"

"Nah, I'll be fine," she shrugged. "I'll just have to take a few weeks off of training once the Conference is over, go somewhere quiet to relax a bit." Come to think of it, Zapdos had suggested she go to Rota, which would definitely qualify. Plus she could ask about the texts for Aura Guardians. "I was thinking of going to Rota. I hear they have a really neat festival coming up soon, maybe we could go check it out, Mom."

"I think that would be lovely," Delia smiled softly.

That mostly handled, and Gary satisfied as to why she was 'acting weird', Ash sat down next to Titania, who was fussing over her kits. Stroking the Sylveon's back, Ash's considered how she was going to approach the next battle. She was up against another conference veteran, one with nearly two decades of training experience. Her team was fully on the records, so she technically had no aces of her sleeves except for the more elaborate maneuvers that required extensive control.

Control that her Pokemon had.

If she wanted to win, she would have to go all out, at full power, from the very beginning. Hit hard, hit fast, and _keep hitting_. She couldn't let her opponent control the flow of battle.

"Hey Ash?"

Blinking, drawn from her half-developed plans, Ash glanced up at Serena, who was surrounded by her own team. Out of all of them, Kofurai seemed the most excited, practically vibrating while the Pokemon waited for Serena to ask whatever it was she was trying to.

"I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to train my Pokemon. I've done a bit, like having them practice their moves, but I don't actually know what else I should do…" Serena chewed on her lip, giving her Pokemon a smile when they chattered encouragingly at her.

"Sure," Ash agreed, though she had to dig deep in her memories to recall how she'd first started training her Pokemon. Serena's Pokemon weren't _weak_ , per se, but they weren't near the level of current strength of any of her own Pokemon, so she'd have to dial the intensity down accordingly. "Well, first let's go over their diets, what you feed them and such, that will affect their training. Hold on, Brock? Can you help me explain how Pokemon food is involved with training Pokemon?"

It didn't take long for everyone in the room to join in, with May and Max listening intently for the sake of their Eevee, the adults and more experienced trainers pooling the things they'd learned over the years about training and ensuring their Pokemon were healthy. It was a good distraction for Ash, who was still slightly on edge from everything hanging over her shoulders.

Her strange power of knowing, her meetings with Legendaries, what those Legendaries had said, her confusion about how her view on Lance was changing, and also the one thing she'd kept in the back of her mind… Mewtwo. He'd yet to contact her, though maybe that was just because she was constantly either in the company of friends and family, or competing in front of huge crowds. Something in her knew that Mewtwo would rather meet up privately, but she was growing a little worried from how long it had been.

Regardless, she was trying to make the most of it, and helping Serena, May, and Max was a worthy past time. Hopefully things would sort themselves out.

XxXxX

"Charmander char. Chaarmander. Char char chaaarmander!"

Ash groaned, peeling her face off her pillow. Squinting at her little reptilian friend, then the clock, she let out a soft whine. It was three in the morning, the day of her next battle.

"What, buddy?"

Charmander pointed at the computer wordlessly, and it was then that Ash remembered that she hadn't researched her opponent properly yet. With a soft swear she shoved the covers away and stumbled upright, yawning, and gave the little Fire type a few pats on the head.

"Thanks, Coach, that would have been bad if you hadn't reminded me." While Charmander beamed at that, Ash blearily turned on the nearby lamp and powered up the computer. Her opponent's name was… Matt Davis, she was pretty sure.

With a jaw-cracking yawn, she logged in to the system and checked the match ups, clicking on Davis' trainer profile. It took her a few minutes to scroll through his page; he had nearly thirty Pokemon, half of them heavy hitters with high defensive capabilities and the firepower to turn pretty much any attack into a finishing move, and the rest status-specialists and what were undoubtedly Pokemon meant for countering specific opponents. Skimming his public battle records, she bit her lip.

This guy was good.

Every single one of his Pokemon had obviously been trained exceptionally well, with pre-prepared counters and responses to any and what looked like all situations. He was a six time Conference Champion, though this was his first go at the Indigo regions, and it seemed like he was a career trainer－his main income from big tournaments.

Absently picking up Charmander, she tried to think up a strategy to win, factoring in as many combinations he might throw at her that she could think of. It… didn't look good. But that was no reason to just give up, not when she'd come so far. But this… fighting Chris had been difficult, but after her research she'd felt like she had a chance. Looking at Matt's profile, she felt the heavy lead weight of doubt on her, having trouble believing she could win this one.

She'd just have to give it her all, and if she lost at least she'd have given a good show. She'd come too far to chicken out at the last stretch. Decided, she turned off the computer and fumbled with her PokeNav, setting multiple alarms to ensure she'd wake up on time. It would be _really_ embarrassing if she was disqualified for oversleeping.

Somehow she managed to get back to sleep and wake up feeling somewhat refreshed, going over her strategy one last time as she gathered up her team and walked them through the plan.

"Pikachu, we'll be going all-out from the start," she said firmly, ignoring the way he cackled darkly at her words, "and everyone else, we're throwing _everything_ we've got. All our special moves, the things we developed on our own? We're using _everything_."

She just hoped it would be enough.

Meeting up with everyone just seemed to whittle away at her nerves; they kept wishing her good luck, telling her to do her best… she'd already been planning on it, so the constant reminders were more irritating than reassuring. Not that she'd ever tell anyone that, it would be rude. At least Lance didn't go that route, instead opting to message her a simple 'Looking forward to your battle', while Surge just messaged something about a betting pool and that she'd better show off Pikachu's special technique.

The morning passed in a bit of a blur. Breakfast was a big event with Delia and Brock cooking for everyone, and then Ash had to go run over to register her team (pointless in her opinion, since she only had the six battlers and was using them the whole tournament), then run back at Professor Sycamore's request because he wanted to check some last minute thing about Greninja. By the time he finished she had to book it to the stadium, Pikachu clinging to her shirt and digging his claws straight through the fabric to leave tiny scratches on her collarbone and shoulder blades.

It really didn't help that Lance had finally sent a message about the results of Alakazam's scan of her mother's health, though he hadn't given any details, only that he had them and she could get them whenever she was free. She wished he'd waited till after this match to send it to her… The distractions were beginning to pile up, but she had to clear her mind to be ready for this fight. As she waited in the hall to be called onto the field, Ash closed her eyes, focusing solely of the comforting weight of Pikachu on her shoulder, breathing deeply.

She could do this. Her team could do this. They had trained so hard, so they were going to give it everything they had.

Hearing the announcements, she opened her eyes and squared her shoulders. Pikachu nuzzled her cheek, bouncing slightly, eager to use their special training finally. Taking another calming breath, she took one step, then another.

She stepped out into the bright doorway.

Sunlight washed over the stadium, beating down harshly as the announcer did their best to hype up the crowd even farther. Somewhere in the stands, her family and friends were watching her in the second most important battle of this tournament－the one that would decide if she moved forwards to fight for the title of Conference Champion.

"Go, Typhlosion!"

"Oh my Mew I want one," Ash whispered even as she threw out Greninja's Pokemon, eyeing the opposing Fire type's gleaming fur. Even from this distance, it looked soft. Raising her voice a bit, she said, "Careful, it might know Thunder Punch!"

Her friend nodded, webbed hands flexing as he readied himself for battle. In the seconds before the referee declared the start of the battle, Ash looked over her opponent. Matt grinned at her, teeth bright against his ebony skin, visible from across the field. Grinning back, she tensed.

This battle was going to be a good one.

XxXxX

"DARK CLOAK!"

Lance's eyes widened as black flames billowed around the massive Houndoom, the canine's eyes practically glowing in contrast. It was the definition of _hell hound_ , breathtaking in its sheer terrifying appearance, beautiful but no doubt powerful. Houndoom roared, the black flames spreading across the field in a mist-like motion.

"Holy shit," Surge cackled, shaking a wide-eyed Bugsy by the shoulders who was unfortunate enough to be sitting next to him.

Ashka's Greninja had been defeated by Matt's Dusknoir after taking out his Typhlosion, those two battles alone taking nearly twenty minutes each. And now Houndoom was tearing into Dusknoir, releasing Flamethrowers, Shadow Balls, Solar Beams－when was he even getting the time to charge them?!－and a stunning number of other moves.

Dusknoir was struggling to dodge, even its ability to switch dimensions not doing much to counter the hellflame its opponent was covering the battlefield in. Quite frankly it looked like something straight out of a nightmare, but it was also so freaking cool looking.

"To think she's trained Houndoom this well," Karen breathed, her Umbreon pressed up against the glass of the League box and looking absolutely in love. "It took me six years to get Honchkrow to that level!"

"Disable!" Matt tried to counter, but Houndoom disappeared into the inky, twisting field, leaving Dusknoir with no way to land the attack. The older trainer looked appropriately horrified when _something_ lunged out of the dark flames and dragged his Pokemon down into them, disappearing for a full twenty seconds before the black fire dispersed in a menacing cloud of vapor.

Houndoom bared his teeth as he stood in front of an unconscious Ghost.

"Dusknoir is unable to battle! Green trainer, send in your next Pokemon!"

Lance leaned forwards in his seat as a Salamence materialized on the field. His experienced eyes took in its appearance, how it was clearly in its prime and well cared for. While he was privately rooting for Ashka, he certainly admired Matt's dedication to training his Pokemon, particularly his Dragon types.

Salamence roared loud enough for the audience to feel it in their bones. Houndoom howled back, snarling and drawing himself up to his full and impressive height of over six feet. He was taller than the Salamence, and once again Lance wondered just what on earth Ashka fed her Pokemon.

He wasn't given much time for any other thoughts, as the battle resumed, this time a up close and personal fight with fangs, claws, and point blank attacks being fired off in what looked like a wrestling match more than anything. But those dark flames were back, surrounding Houndoom like a living shield, though they weren't doing as much damage to Salamence as they could have due to the dragon's thick scales.

He could practically _feel_ the wincing going on in the crowd every time a hit landed－they were really going at it. He had to admit he was impressed; it wasn't often anything other than a dragon or something of similar build could go up against a dragon in a full-out physical fight, but Houndoom was doing it.

He cringed as Houndoom managed to pull off a flawless sacrifice throw, which made Salamence crash face-first into the hard-packed earth, and it looked painful. This was getting more violent than most Pokemon battles.

With a furious screech, Salamence grabbed Houndoom's horns with its powerful jaws and _threw_ , sending the Dark type flying straight into the arena wall. Houndoom slumped to the ground, and Ash returned him－but he'd given just as good as he got, his opponent's stamina drained and struggling to manage several serious injuries.

When Titania was sent out, it was game over for Salamence.

 _You did well,_ Lance silently praised the dragon before going back to rooting for Ash.


	23. Chapter 23

Ash had practically screamed herself hoarse by the time she called Pikachu out to the field, the last of her team who would be facing down the last opponent all by himself. It was time to bring out the big guns, and reveal what they'd been working on.

Titania, Oberon, and Alto had all fought hard and extremely well－Matt's Drapion had been beaten by Titania who was then taken out by his Toxicroak, which had been crushed beneath Oberon's psychic-powered stadium drop. As in, he'd torn up the entire battle field and basically drop kicked it at the frog. And then Matt had brought out his ace, a Haxorus. The massive, powerful dragon had immediately shown that the gap in strength between it and Salamence was _significant_ , and it had bulldozed through her Espeon's psychic hold like there was nothing happening at all.

So now it was Pikachu against Haxorus. She'd be lying if she said she had a good feeling about this match up, but in the end it didn't matter－they'd already decided to give it everything they had.

"Alright, Pikachu, let's do this! Magnet Rise!" She shouted, pumping her fist in the air as she let the tension fall away and be replaced by the excitement for this final battle.

"Pika!" Her partner cackled, a low humming sound rising as he jumped on his tail and hovered in place, making their opponents eyes' widen. Sparks flew around him, making his small form ever so slightly more intimidating.

Haxorus roared, and charged.

Thus began a long game of chase, Pikachu's natural agility combined with Agility making it impossible for the massive dragon to catch him. And every turn he made, Pikachu pulled up a Grass Knot, lacing each and every one with Steel type energy. It was all part of the plan, the one they'd been working on for months.

Then he started pulling up larger Grass Knots, coated in Toxic, these ones actively going after the Dragon type, wrapping around its limbs and reaching for its snapping jaws. The armored scales of a Dragon type made them difficult to poison in most cases, but if you could get one to ingest even a little bit of a Poison type move, it put them on a time limit－something Ash desperately needed if they were to win this by some miracle.

The Feathers pulsed in time with her rapidly beating heart.

"OUTRAGE!"

"PULL BACK!" She screamed as soon as Matt's command registered in her brain. Pikachu zipped high, getting some distance between himself and the furious dragon that was now having what looked like the most terrifying tantrum ever caught on national TV. The ground beneath them shuddered, ruptured, Haxorus' tail bashing down and making tall, sharp spires of rock shoot upwards－shit, it knew Stone Edge. "Stay alert! Don't let any of those hit you, and start getting ready for the Storm!"

As directed, Pikachu started pulling up enough Grass Knots to practically cover the field, coating them in Steel type energy－that had been the hardest to train, creating and controlling that many from a distance. But Pikachu had worked and worked and trained himself into the ground to be able to do this, and even though he was tiring, this move would be _so worth it_.

It didn't look like much, she knew, just a sea of greenery that was somehow surviving Haxorus' rampage as he tried to get Pikachu close enough to Bite, but it was the set up for the fireworks. The announcer was even commenting on the strange choice of move, but she couldn't hide her grin.

Matt noticed, eyed the Grass Knots warily, but there was no way he could have expected what was about to happen. No one could have, really, except Surge, who had helped her develop the entire technique, so he really didn't count.

Ash silently begged Pikachu to hold out just a little longer, build up the Steel type energy coated Grass Knots just a little more. Her little trooper was panting now, losing a bit of speed as he began to run low on energy. Finally she knew they couldn't stall any longer－it was now or never.

"ELECTRICAL STORM!"

Pikachu let out a cry of exertion, pouring lightning onto the ground where it was then picked up by the modified Grass Knots like a relay race of doom. Dense white light flashed, the entire field lighting up and enveloping Haxorus in a gigantic dome of electricity, which was getting stronger as it constantly cycled through the Steel type energy and Pikachu put more effort into it. It looked like a miniature apocalypse, a high pitch screeching tearing through the air.

Soon enough lightning bolts began to pull away from the dome, the magnetic field created by the metal coated Grass Knots unable to contain the sheer force of electricity within it; with an eardrum-bursting explosion, the move came undone, a pillar of lightning and thunder shooting up from the center of the dome where the magnetic field was the weakest. Dirt and rocks billowed outwards, obscuring everyone's vision, and Ash blinked furiously to clear the spots from her eyes. The move hadn't gone quite like she'd hoped, but it was their first time actually using it in live combat, so she was more than happy with it.

But note to self, work on that magnetic field…

Pikachu wobbled on his feet, having no more energy left at all. He looked to be keeping himself upright through sheer willpower alone.

Across from him, Haxorus was shifting slightly, its hide scorched in more places than it wasn't, and while it certainly wasn't looking great, Ash felt her heart sink a bit. Even though she'd _known_ her chances of winning were slim, she'd still thought… _hoped_ that maybe she _could_ do it, that she could end her first year as a trainer with at least a Conference victory.

They'd worked so hard, but Matt's final wall had been a little too high, even for her ambitions.

Her partner－so stubborn, so determined－caught himself the first time his body gave out on him, but not the second.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Matt Davis wins!"

Above the distant roaring of the crowd, Ash heard her opponent call out a 'Good battle!' to her, but all she could do was nod and give him a short wave before running over to her exhausted partner, who was out cold. Carefully picking him up－he wasn't injured at all, thankfully, had just spent every last bit of energy he had for a last ditch effort to win－she was aware enough to at least wave to the cheering crowd before jogging back to the tunnel entrance. She needed to have Nurse Joy look over her team before anyone got to her, wanting some time to process her loss.

She couldn't get over how close it had been. It was a new experience－not the loss, no, Sabrina had beaten Matt to that ages ago, it was the nagging feeling that she _could_ have won if she'd just worked harder－and she rather disliked it.

Using her aura to avoid running into anyone on the way, Ash tried to calm herself, ease the heavy disappointment that weighed heavily on her shoulders. She'd really thought they could win their first League… It wasn't that she was unhappy with the way her team had battled, not at all, she was so ridiculously proud of them her heart felt like it could burst. It was her own choices and commands during that last battle she was second-guessing.

This feeling… she wasn't used to it at all.

XxXxX

Max frowned as he looked for Ash, hoping to tell her how cool her last battle was even if she didn't win. Technically he wasn't supposed to be out wandering alone, but he had Eevee with him so he thought it was fine, because he wasn't really alone. Still, it was getting kind of dark and he wanted to hurry up and find her so they could go back and eat dinner together. He had so many questions－

A low, mellow note pulled the young boy's attention away from his thoughts, some kind of flute flowing over the wind. His breath hitched at the near-haunting sound, even as it comforted and relaxed him. The melody was slow, less a tune and more of a story. Captivated by it, Max and Eevee glanced at each other and decided to find the source. Ducking beneath a nearby tree with low hanging branches, the pair found themselves on a hidden path that seemed to snake its way behind the buildings of the Indigo village, a five minute walk to a small lake.

On a boulder jutting partway out of the water was Ash, a weirdly shaped seashell pressed to her lips, and with a slight start Max realized that the shell was actually some sort of instrument, and it was Ash playing that breathtaking song. Her team was scattered around her－some still with bandages, all looking exhausted even after what must have been a long stay with Nurse Joy－listening to the song with closed eyes.

Max faltered, suddenly feeling like maybe he should just leave Ash be for a little longer, but Eevee trotted over to join the circle of Pokemon. The young boy followed slowly, still entranced by the music, not daring to speak. There was just something about the whole scene that made his normally frantic analytical mind ease, slow down and _see_.

He'd admired Ash ever since he saw her first battle, where she and her Pokemon had total control of the flow of battle and how proven that even a young trainer could be successful. Kids at his school had all bullied him for being smart, telling him that his 'nerdiness' wouldn't actually help him on a journey. But Ash was obviously smart (strategies on strategies, amazing planning, that custom move _Electrical Storm_ that he was still working on picking apart to understand), and she'd made it to second place in her first conference.

She'd even taught him more about Pokemon, about the parts that couldn't be learned from his books, about them as _individuals_ instead of stats. So he admired her, wanted to be like her－strong and unstoppable. But right here and now, she looked… sad. Maybe that she lost? But Max knew that she'd done better than pretty much any first year trainer could have hoped! His dad had said so.

He started when the song cut off, blinking rapidly like he'd just been doused with cold water. Realizing that Ash was now staring at him, he offered a sheepish grin, finally feeling able to approach.

"Everyone's been looking for you," he told her as he scrambled up onto the rock, reaching out to pick up Eevee. "To tell you how good you did."

Ash's eyes drifted off to the side for a moment before falling to the seashell flute in her hands. "I… think I could have done better."

"What do you mean? You and your team were awesome!"

"I doubted we could win this battle," she said, like it was some kind of crime. "I doubted and because of that I didn't do the best I could have because I was afraid we'd lose anyways."

"Char!" Charmander pressed his clawed hands to her leg, sharp protests being cut off by a gentle pat to the head.

"It was my fault," she said firmly.

Max was floored. He'd seen lots of battles, in person, through videos… sometimes he'd seen people who lost blaming their Pokemon, or the rules of the battle, or their opponent. Some people just brushed it off. But never had the young boy seen somebody blaming themselves for losing a Pokemon battle for not believing in their team.

But something about it made sense. Confidence was an important factor in battle, right? And believing in your Pokemon was like having confidence in them. That made sense to him, that if you didn't then you wouldn't fight at your best.

"Well then you just have to believe in them next time," he pointed out, oblivious to the way his idol stared at him for a good long moment. With that matter 'solved', he was more interested in the seashell flute. "Anyways, what's that seashell? How do you play it?"

Ash huffed out a slight laugh, and proceeded to teach him about the ocarina and the finger placements.

XxXxX

 **AN: Sorry for not having many updates, work has been crazy and I regularly have to stay after my scheduled shift to cover for graveyard coworkers who just don't show up. I barely have time to shower, do laundry, and sleep. But I'm still writing bits and pieces where I can!**


	24. Chapter 24

Mewtwo showed up after the award ceremony, late at night once everyone else had gone to sleep. Ash, getting the powerful Psychic type's mental message, scrambled up from her balcony, carefully making her way to the roof the dorm. She was met with open arms, swept into Mewtwo's hold.

He purred, pressing his muzzle against the side of her head. _'It is good to see you well, old friend.'_

"You too, Mewtwo. Are you… everything all right?"

' _Indeed. I have taken care of everything I need to, and I plan to stay with you for a while. Articuno sends her greetings.'_

Sighing, Ash allowed herself to bury her face in Mewtwo's thin but silky fur. She'd tried not to think too much－about the various encounters, Sabrina's words, her own instincts on the subject－but it still exhausted her, always turning over and over in the back of her mind. "I still don't get why so many Legendaries even care I exist."

' _Someday you will understand,_ ' Mewtwo said firmly, like this fact had been woven into the very fabric of reality. _'There is no need to hurry, however. Let things come as they will. Rest now, old friend, I know this… tournament has been hard on your nerves.'_

Ash snorted. "That's what I get for honing my aura senses so much, right?"

' _You've yet to have time to decompress from the stresses of your journey, actually, but I'm sure that having such a chaotic source of sensory input doesn't help.'_

"Only because there's so many. Even a regular town isn't this packed…"

' _Humans are strange creatures,'_ Mewtwo hummed, no other explanation given.

Shrugging, Ash relaxed into Mewtwo's grasp, content in the silence. She was relieved that he was alright after the fiasco with Team Rocket. Something in her said that this was a far better alternative than what else could have happened, and for the first time she felt like she'd managed to _avoid_ something. It was kind of a relief, as for so long she'd felt trapped by the power that had both helped and caused her so much trouble.

Mewtwo was right, though. She hadn't really had time to decompress from her journey, not completely. Maybe… maybe going to Rota, like Zapdos had recommended, would help, the kingdom probably had records left from when they regularly hosted and trained Aura Guardians. She could probably get permission to read over some texts or old books if she displayed her current aura abilities－it was a bit of an open secret to those who knew of aura that Rota still had a form of education for whatever aura users they happened to pick up or become aware of.

Serena and the others would probably like to see the old kingdom too, it was a popular if rather out of the way place for tourists and history buffs to visit. She'd done some reading, and it looked like a beautiful place. It would be nice to have some pictures there of her team and her friends.

Mewtwo let out a low rumble of amusement as half-formed plans steadily dropped into the peace of sleep.

' _I'm sorry we couldn't do more, to save you both… Please keep watching over each other. The young one… that part of you needs it still.'_

Part of Ashka's soul flickered in response.

XxXxX

"So, the festival in Rota?" Delia prompted at the dinner table, several minutes after her daughter had gotten distracted answering a question about Eevee for May. They were having one last big dinner together before the group started splitting off－the Maples to go home to Hoenn, Grace off to the event she'd be presenting at, Gary to train, the professors back to their labs, and Ash, her mother, and friends to the kingdom of Rota.

"Oh, yeah, they have it every year, there's a tournament and then a ball after," Ash explained, quickly getting back on track. "The palace also has some public gardens, I read they're pretty amazing, so I thought we could go for at least the week, that way we'd have some time to explore the city around the palace too."

"That sounds lovely!" Delia exclaimed, eyes bright even as Ash could see her mind start to make a list of everything she wanted to see or do while they were there. It was nice to see that spark firmly back in place in her mother, who had been looking sickly still.

Lance had forwarded the results of the Alakazam's medical scan to her PokeNav, and Ash had been relieved to see that while Delia hadn't been taking the stress well, most of it was just that－stress. Once she'd settled down and gotten back up to a healthy weight, she should be fine. Now it was just a matter of getting Delia to eat enough and properly rest. Which, much to Ash's chagrin, was a job an a half on a good day; her mother just wasn't the type to sit still when there were things that could be done right that moment. She was hoping the vacation to Rota would help on that front.

"I hear that tournament is pretty epic," Calem piped up. "They have a full Colosseum, right?"

"That's right, and historically it holds a lot of important to Rota's Aura Guardians. Its where most of them passed their apprenticeship and final mastery trials. Ash, are you thinking of asking around for training resources while you're there?" Brock questioned.

She nodded, gently brushing her fingers through Titania's fur. "I've pretty much done all I can on my own. From what I've heard, I can request an audience after the tournament so I can prove I can use aura, and then submit a request to look at some of the records and old journals they have stored there. If it gets approved I might stay longer, just to get a better grasp on my aura."

There was also the fact that Zapdos had recommended it, and the Legendary had mentioned looking into healing, which was definitely something she wouldn't mind learning, considering all the trouble that found her. It would ease her mind to know she was able to help her friends if needed.

"Well, I hope your request is granted," Professor Sycamore commented, setting down his glass. "I'm sure it will be fascinating to read about the history of Aura Guardians… Kalos has had a fair few, but most records have been kept by their families who are quite protective of them, and even potential apprentices can be tested for years before being allowed to read them."

"That's kind of why I'm going for Rota," Ash chuckled awkwardly. "At least the Aura Guardians based out of Rota are more willing to teach adepts, and grant them access to materials. Lance said they tend to ask anyone who learns there to come back for certain formal occasions, but they don't require an oath or anything."

Which was why Rota was one of the most popular locations for those who could wield aura to gravitate towards, really, as they could actually learn there without getting caught up in 'Family business' like some of the enclaves in Sinnoh or Kalos ended up trapping new adepts in to expand their ranks. It wasn't like they were trying to build armies or anything－they _were_ still Aura Guardians, after all－but according to Bruno a large number of students was a sign of prosperity and gave a certain amount of prestige. Aura Guardians could apparently get rather competitive if they came from that sort of apprenticeship.

Surge had been passing on messages from the Elite Four member ever since she asked for more resources about aura, and those had been among the random bits of information. Ash herself had simply decided to ask at Rota, and hope she didn't run into a 'recruiter' in another region, as Bruno had warned they could get pushy sometimes, especially when an adept showed serious potential.

The conversation slowly pulled away from Rota into what the plan was for after, both Ash and Gary aiming to enter the Johto League once it opened for the season in four months. In the meantime, the trainers were all debating where they should go next. Serena would have to go home with Grace, but she still asked questions about the different places that were suggested, wanting to learn more about the other regions.

In the end, it was Professor Oak who solved Ash's plans, by asking if she would be willing to take a strange Pokeball his colleague had found to the Orange Islands after she'd come back from Rota. Misty and Brock announced they would go with her. Daisy decided that she would be exploring some of Kalos with Calem as her guide, dropping by Vaniville Town in order to teach Serena more about Coordinating.

Gary was aiming for solitude out in the wilds past Pallet Town while he trained up his team some more, and sought out new Pokemon before he registered for the Johto League. The Maples would be going back to Hoenn, May and Max planning to help out at Norman's Gym so they would be better prepared for their own journeys－and May had requested to join Ash when she did go through Hoenn, which had been approved by her parents.

' _Sounds like we'll be busy for a while, then,'_ Oberon mused, sitting on Ash's knees.

' _It'll be fine,'_ Ash thought back, patting his side gently. She may not have won _this_ League, but she'd been damn close, and there was still much more she could do for next time. For now, though, she looked forwards to visiting Rota with Delia and her friends. It had been a while since she'd been on a real vacation.


	25. Chapter 25

"So you'll be leaving Kanto tomorrow?"

"Yeah, after everything I think we all sort of need the vacation."

"Of course… you'll remember to message me, right?"

"Of course, Lance, I'm not going to just forget you exist because I'm a little farther away! You still need to send me pictures of the Gible you talking about, in case it slipped your mind."

"I do, don't I? Well… I see you, then."

"Let me know when you have a free weekend, Alto can probably make the flight pretty quick now that she's got a grasp on Tailwind."

XxXxX

Rota was a gorgeous place, built of stone and brick and all manner of cozy nooks and crannies tucked away in the almost labyrinth-like streets. The weather was warm and clear, flowers blooming in planters and wherever the dirt was deep enough for them to take root. It wasn't only the cheerful colors of petals against the warm browns and earthy tones of the buildings, but also the sheer amount of people that added to the liveliness.

Trainers and families swarmed into the royal city, lured by tournament and celebration alike, and the many Pokemon that were practically swarming, wild and trained alike, were enough to make Serena's head spin. With Felix on her shoulder she could only grip Ash's shirt to ensure she didn't lose the group.

They'd arrived just that morning, and had only paused long enough to check in at the hotel and drop off whatever they weren't going to carry with them. The rest of the morning was spent exploring, with Delia, Professor Oak, Norman and Caroline Maple having split off to check out a historical tea house among some other buildings. The young trainers had all opted to wander the twining walkways bordered with flowerbeds that connected the main roads.

Max was currently running a breathless lecture to his Eevee as he stared at all the local Pokemon, especially a few rare ones lounging on windowsills that must had belonged to the people living in the cozy looking homes. His sister had one arm hooked around Serena's own, the younger girl content to take in the sights while being near the two she'd claimed as older sisters. Misty was walking next to them with the Togepi whose egg had recently hatched during the trip to Rota, telling May about how she'd found the baby Pokemon's egg.

Calem had taken to redirecting Max every time his enthusiasm got out of hand and they almost lost him twice. Meanwhile, Ash and Brock were leading them as they wandered, the raven-haired girl occasionally bantering with Gary as they pieced together a vague map of the town. They'd already come across some out of the way shops that Serena wanted to go back to during their stay here.

Feeling Felix shift on her shoulder, the honey blonde glanced over at him, smiling to herself when she saw that her Ralts was eagerly looking around. It had been wonderful, getting to show her Pokemon lots of new people and places. She could hardly wait until it was time for Ash to challenge the Kalos League so she could start really travelling, too, it was killing her just thinking about the _years_ that she'd have to endure until then.

"Hey, Ash?"

"Hm?" Her friend twisted her torso to face her, pausing her conversation with Gary.

Grinning, Serena threw herself－and May, because it was obvious how the girl idolized Ash but was still just a tad too shy to be overly affectionate－at the slightly taller teen in a big hug.

"Thanks!" She chirped.

Ash blinked at her, nose scrunched just slightly in confusion. "For what?"

Shrugging, inwardly laughing at her friend's reaction, Serena leaned her head into Ash's shoulder before stepping away again.

"Let's go see that tournament area, the one you were saying they hold that yearly hero tournament," she exclaimed, earning the attention of Max and Calem, both of who had been interested in said tournament for a variety of reasons. Floundering under the sudden onslaught of excited cheering, Ash could only roll her eyes and share a look with Brock, who obligingly began to usher everyone in the right direction, map in hand.

Being able to see Ash again, meeting new friends who she got along with far better than anyone in Vaniville Town or Lumiose City… well, she'd hang in there until she could travel with her best friend properly. These guys were worth holding onto while she waited, the type of friends she could see having for the rest of her life.

"I hope we find more friends like them to join us," she whispered to Felix, hearing him hum in delighted agreement. Absently wondering what of the surrounding emotions he was feeling that made him so happy, she nuzzled his face before trotting off after the rest of the group.

XxXxX

Misty grinned as Ash, Gary, and Calem fiercely debated the best strategy for dealing with the next Pokemon she had set her heart on catching. Watching Pikachu wilt a bit when reminded that Gastrodon had the Ground typing made her feel a tad guilty, but really, what had they expected? A Water/Flying type? No, one of these days she was going to find a Shellos (and maybe help Max catch another Pokemon for informing her that they existed) to expand her growing team. And a Chinchou.

Considering how well Ash had trained her own team, Misty had been putting serious thought into her career and dream. Becoming a Water type Master had been her goal since she was just barely eight years old, and looking at the sheer power Ash had managed to train her team into? It felt like a challenge, as if a new bar had been set. And the spirited redhead couldn't resist the urge to rise to the occasion, hunkering down and really planning on how she could add to her team, her family.

Little Togepi was wonderful, of course, and Misty loved the tiny Fairy type, but it would be a while before the young Pokemon would be ready for serious training, not to mention that while Togepi would _always_ have a place on the team, Misty needed to add some more Water types. She loved Starmie, Staryu, and Goldeen, but it was time to give them some more teammates.

She was hoping the Orange Islands would have some more options for her, and was looking forwards to traveling with Ash again. If their days in Rota were any indicator, they were going to have a great time.

XxXxX

Brock relaxed to the sounds of light chatter, eyes lingering on the long sleeves Ash currently wore. For all the worries he'd had when they'd split ways what felt like years－geez, had it really only been several months?－ago, he felt justified in feeling like that well-honed older-sibling-sense he'd been silently going crazy over had been entirely too correct. While he may not have known Ash that well in the beginning, she was someone he respected and cared about.

Just thinking about the things she'd gone through, though she'd only given the bare basics, made big brother instincts in him _burn_. But it was good to see her smiling and laughing, so much less reserved than when they'd first travelled together. He could remember when she had watched him and Misty from across the campfire, eyes guarded even as she maintained a polite sort of distance, no matter how agreeable she'd seemed about having human company.

It must have taken a lot for her to just accept travelling in a group, he'd come to realize. And while caring for Charmander had just been too much of a strain for her to continue with both, he was proud that she had chosen Charmander over them－it was a show of character that he'd thought about a lot, in his studies to become a breeder. Putting the needs of a Pokemon placed in one's care first. And it had paid off, so obviously that sometimes he could hardly believe the cheerfully little Fire type was the same abused, starving Pokemon they'd first stumbled over.

Ash was the sort of person Brock found himself aspiring to be, that steel-solid spine when it came to the things she felt strongly about. It was comforting in multiple ways, knowing that he'd be travelling with her again; first, because that sort of inner strength was and always would be a great thing to have by one's side, and secondly because he'd be there to help make sure she didn't have to keep showing it without any sort of human support.

He leaned back as Max darted past, chasing his Eevee around the small plaza they'd decided to stop and take a break from exploring in. Misty and Serena were going through Ash's PokeDex, as it had recently gotten an upgrade from Professor Oak in the form of more regional Pokemon entries, the girls fawning over the various Water types as Misty explained her dream. Calem and Gary had been swapping failed capture stories, with May listening with wide eyes as Calem's Glaceon laughed at a dramatically recounted incident with a less-than-pleased Phantump.

At the slight rustle next to him, Brock turned to offer Ash a smile when she sat down next to him, Pikachu hopping to the grass from her shoulder. Houndoom padded over from where he'd been watching Charmander crawl all over Alto's wings, collapsing to the ground in front of the duo and wriggling slightly to get comfortable.

Absently patting the massive canine's head, Brock turned his thoughts to the upcoming few weeks. After the annual tournament, they'd be exploring the upper levels of Ice Cave to give the Maple siblings a taste of what they mind find on their own journeys when they were able to start them, and then he, Ash, and Misty would be headed for the Orange Islands. It would be good for them all, he was sure. Sometimes all you needed was a sunny day and a beach.

… And, perhaps, some lovely ladies. The more the merrier, after all, and he would never turn down the chance to cook for a crowd. It was, perhaps, one of the few things he'd refrained from using to woo women in the past, but after the way his friends had reacted to just this morning's meal, he'd realized that just might be the tactic he needed.

XxXxX

 **I apologize for such a gap between updates!**

As I've replied to several reviewers/messages, my laptop has developed some issues and I can't really use it for anything, so writing was slow going. Half of this was done on my phone, so if there are typos… that's why.

This is the end of the Kanto Arc! Next will be a much shorter arc with the rest of Rota and Ice Cave, because we have a band of budding adventurers all together and little to no adult supervision! :D

Thank you to everyone who read, followed, and again to everyone who reviewed, for all your support of this fic, it's one of my favorites and the first I will, one way or another, finish _completely_ with all planned arcs. Eventually. Your comments meant so much during the times I felt like nothing I wrote was worth anything, or worth posting.

And another thank you to those who messaged me with your own theories and ideas, they were all great and if I haven't responded, it's not because I didn't read them, it's because I immediately went to see what could be done with them and forgot to reply.

Recently (somewhat… .) someone asked me to start putting a little reminder at which Pokemon knew what, etc. I figured it was probably something I should have done a while back, but to start with, here's Ash's team:

Oberon (M): Espeon － Abilities: Synchronize & Magic Bounce

Mischievous; Prankster; a lighthearted King of the team, but will resort to vicious protectiveness when needed

Moves:

Quick Attack

Swift

Confusion

Psychic

Teleport

Protect

Shadow Ball

Toxic

Hypnosis

Dream Eater

Disable

Grass Knot

Dazzling Gleam

Dig

Iron Tail

Signal Beam

Titania (F): Sylveon － Abilities: Cute Charm & Pixelate

Mature; Regal; very much the Queen of the team who will handle all offenses with cold vengeance; no wrong-doing is ever forgotten

Moves:

Quick Attack

Swift

Baby-Doll Eyes

Fairy Wind

Moonblast

Disarming Voice

Protect

Draining Kiss

Shadow Ball

Aromatherapy

Toxic

Dig

Iron Tail

Pikachu (M) － Ability: Static

A loyal partner with a mischievous streak a mile wide. Is no longer allowed to engage in prank wars with Oberon. Hard worker and more observant than he lets on.

Moves:

Quick Attack

Agility

Thundershock

Iron Tail

Thunderbolt

Electro Ball

Magnet Rise

Toxic

Grass Knot

Discharge

Protect

Electroweb (it's a work in progress)

Alto (F): Altaria － Abilities: Natural Cure & Cloud Nine

Cuddly and loyal; a Mom Friend; never opposed to preening; will not hesitate to disembowel anyone who touches her precious trainer or teammates; she bIG FLOOF DRAGON

Moves:

Sing

Peck

Take Down

Fly

Mirror Move

Perish Song

Steel Wing

Moonblast

Dragon Pulse

Draco Meteor

Solar Beam

Toxic

Ice Beam

Dazzling Gleam

Rain Dance

Aerial Ace

Tailwind

Houndoom (M) － Abilities: Flash Fire & Early Bird

A Good Boy but inexplicably hates Bellsprout. Nearly 6 feet tall, but he really has no idea just how big he his

Moves:

Ember

Smog

Bite

Counter

Fire Fang

Foul Play

Flamethrower

Dark Pulse

Shadow Ball

Solar Beam

Toxic

Hypnosis

Dream Eater

Charmander (M) － Ability: Blaze

Timid but loving, cannot battle and unable to evolve but still tries to help as much as possible

Moves:

Ember

Scratch

Roar

Bite

Greninja (M) － Ability: Protean

A proud, competitive, and honorable fighter who thinks Ash is the best trainer ever; definitely knows more about human social norms than Ash thinks but also thinks its hilarious to disregard them completely (I.e; the bathtub video call); Pikachu is his ultimate rival and he would like it known that he _will_ beat him in a proper match one of these days, thank you very much

Moves:

Water Pulse

Bubble

Tackle

Slash

Pound

Double Team

Cut

Aerial Ace

Water Shuriken

Night Slash

Toxic

Ice Beam

Rain Dance

Grass Knot

Now that I look at this I realize that they're all OP, but eh. They worked for it.

Stay tuned for the next Arc, as it will be posted as its own fic in order to keep the file sizes manageable!


	26. Sequel is Up

Sorry for the long wait between the end of the Kanto series and the start of Rota! The sequel, To Heal With Jade, is up with its first chapter, so head over there for new updates. Again, thanks to everybody who read, reviewed, or otherwise checked out this fic, and I hope you enjoy the upcoming arcs. :)


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